North Country

It can be difficult to predict what effect the warm weather will have on
gamefish in northern New Hampshire. The current heat wave has been hanging
around long enough that there are clear impacts on our waterbodies. Common
sense would tell you that coldwater fish like trout and salmon seek refuge
from warm water by swimming deeper or near springs and tributaries. They
will also respond to the insects that begin hatching in really warm weather,
like grasshoppers and other terrestrials. Warmwater fish like bass and pike
recognize that our growing season is relatively short and will feed heavily.
Baitfish are also reaching a size that makes them worthwhile prey for lunker
fish. This is also an excellent opportunity to fish late into the evening.
Nothing feels better than fishing a surface lure on calm water as the sun
sets. – Andy Schafermeyer, Regional Fisheries Biologist

><> Lakes Region/White Mountains

Head north or go deep are the watchwords for anglers after the July 4th
weekend! A record-setting heat wave has enveloped New Hampshire, and the
lack of substantial rains has seen water temps soaring into the mid 70s.
Lake trollers will still find good action 20-30 feet down, as the
thermocline is actively "setting up."

A few words about the thermocline. In our large, deep lakes, as summer
progresses, warmer surface waters increase in depth, and blanket the colder,
more dense waters below. Where the two "zones" mix, the water temperature
drastically falls, and the water in the deep, cold basins "bottoms out”
around 46-48 degrees. The zone where the greatest temperature flux occurs is
also the area of high plankton (phytoplankton and zooplankton) activity. At
night, rainbow smelt rise up in the water column, and feed in this rich zone
all night, until the morning sun drives the smelt back down, well below the
thermocline. Early morning anglers will often see the remnants of schools of
smelt before they begin their downward movement. Experienced lake trollers
know all about the thermocline, and with modern temperature probes, are able
to accurately fish this zone consistently. Remember: as waters warm, these
fish brought up from the depths need to be treated gently, and quickly
released if
not harvested.

Mountain streams are still providing excellent fishing, but we need some
significant showers to help maintain receding water levels. – Don Miller,
Regional Fisheries Biologist

><> Monadnock/Upper Valley

If the hot, sticky weather has got you down and you want to keep cool and
yet still feel like you’re fishing, try snorkeling in your favorite lake or
stream. An inexpensive pair of goggles or a mask and snorkel will enhance
your perspective of fish and maybe even improve your fishing success.

Most of what you hear about fishing on television shows, fishing magazines,
or from your fellow anglers is slanted towards a very humanistic
perspective. Many times while fishing, I’ve said to myself, “Now if I were a
fish, I would be over by that log or in that pool.” If I don’t catch a fish
from that spot, it either means nothing was interested in what I was casting
or that there weren’t any fish there. By entering the fish’s environment,
snorkeling lets you not only see the location fish are holding in, but also
gives you an idea of their behavior and feeding patterns.

When snorkeling in streams, move slowly in an upstream direction. Try to
minimize any sudden movements and use the stream bottom to pull yourself
along. Pools are a great place to watch trout and minnows feed and interact.
In lakes and ponds, snorkel along the shore where the water starts to deepen
(watch out for jet-skis and motorboats). Keep your eyes open and when you
see fish, approach them slowly or observe them from a distance. Docks are
also a great place to locate fish. – Gabe Gries, Regional Fisheries
Biologist

><> Southeast NH/Merrimack Valley

The Merrimack River is often overlooked this time of year as a fishing
destination. As anglers drive north on I-93 in pursuit of quality fishing
destinations, they are potentially passing up some trophy-sized large and
smallmouth bass, black crappie, and walleye. That's right...walleye. From
time to time we receive reports of the species being caught, and we
occasionally encounter them in our surveys along the mainstem of the river.
The most recent reported catch occurred in mid-June and the fish was close
to 10 pounds. The records of the first walleye introductions to the
Merrimack River are unclear but more recent plantings have occurred in 1977
and 1992. A survey in the 1960s by New Hampshire Fish and Game yielded a
fair number of walleyes in the Hooksett/Manchester area. Anglers can take
advantage of the low flow conditions of the Merrimack and do some exploring
to find where the fish are holding. Access to the mainstem varies from town
to town but anglers should be
looking at changes or variability in habitat along the river (i.e., deeper
channels, patches of aquatic vegetation, rocky structure, etc). – Ben
Nugent, Regional Fisheries Biologist

><> Seacoast Area

The worst of the heat wave is behind us but there are still plenty of warm
days left and the best place to beat the heat is on the ocean! Not only was
a boat the place to be for comfort this week but for fishing as well. The
Hampton area was the big hitter again with reports of stripers landed in the
mouth of the harbor. Mackerel continue to be elusive but there have been few
reports of them at the Shoals in great number. Striped bass are nocturnal
feeders and the tides are once again aligned for some killer early morning
and late evening fishing. Take a trip out to the Shoals for some mackerel.
Anglers have been doing best with live bait this week, so take those macks
and live line for stripers, you might try drifting at the mouth of Hampton
Harbor. If a boat trip is not in your future, you can get close to the
action from either shore or the bridge. Also, eels are a good alternative to
live mackerel and you can find them at bait shops with no need to wet your
feet!

In other news, it looks like New Hampshire’s headboat companies have started
doing half-day flounder trips. Come on down to the coast and increase your
odds of catching one by going with the professionals! – Rebecca Heuss,
Marine Biologist

><> Federal Aid: A User-Pay, User-Benefit Program

Researching and managing fisheries and teaching people about aquatic
ecosystems are funded by your license dollars and by the Federal Aid in
Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program. Your purchases of fishing
equipment and motorboat fuels make a difference to New Hampshire's
fisheries. Visit http://www.wildnh.com/SFWR_program/sfwr_program.htm.