wanted: southeaster nh river

[Jackiechan]

First off, congrats to everyone one involved in this great new site for nh flyfishing. Very nice indeed and well worth the wait :D .

Although I spend a great deal of time fishing vt, central nh and maine I've come to a unique problem and could use some help from anyone/everyone here on the board;
A good friend of mine and fishing partner for over 15 years recently turned 81. In years past we've had many fine trips to the West Branch Penob, Moose River, EO and a slew of others. Unfortuantely he resides in Booth Bay and I just 1/2 hour west of Boston.
Heres my dilema. The driving is getting to be too much for him and we're looking for some decent trout water we could meet at thats 1/2 way for each of us, somewhere up towards the Portsmouth area. I'm looking for suggestions based on a July trip. Read up a bit on the Isinglass, Concheco and Lamprey but not sure if they'll hold up in summer. Suggestions on these or other rivers would be greatly appreciated, as I'm not how many trips we'll have left in the coming years. Please feel free to email off line at jackcarlton@comcast.net. Thank you.

[BugChucka]

I wouldn't reccomend fishing those rivers at those times. If it had to be South Eastern NH you'd be hard pressed for river trout fishing. If you decided on North Eastern NH, then you would have a lot more options.

[Jackiechan]

Thanks for the only response BugChucker- Based on the number of "views" I've had to my question, it appears most people would rather "play possum" than offer any decent suggestions for that particular area in the state :cry: No problem, I've been at this fishing game long enough to dig up some solid info elsewhere.

[fessiewig]

Perhaps people weren't "playing possum"; perhaps they didn't have any information. For example, I viewed your posting but suggested nothing because I had nothing to suggest. I don't live in that area, I've never lived in that area of the state and never have fished it. I felt it would best to let someone who had something to say post to your concerns.

[Steve H.]

Wow, Jackiechan, maybe you shouldn't jump to the conclusion that people are blowing you off. Perhaps everyone else, such as myself, regard Bugchucka's response to be well-stated, concise, and entirely accurate. You shouldn't take this so personally. I live in Southeastern NH and wouldn't think of fly fishing for trout in this area after mid-June at the latest. There simply aren't any options, and I'm sure that's why there weren't any other replies. All of the trout streams in Rockingham county are put & take and are either fished out by July or have water much to low and warm to support trout. (Some have a fall return of brown trout, such as Berry Brook and Salmon Falls River.) Maybe you could change your focus to fly fishing for striped bass or warm-water species. Feel free to email me if you would like some information about these more realistic options. -Steve H.

[Jackiechan]

Fessiewig & Steve- I hear you both and certainly appreciate your and BugChuckas response. I guess I'm just a bit surprised to learn of how poor the fishing is in that portion of the state come July. Who knows, maybe it will have to be another long trek to the north woods after all.

[dcs2]

Last year I didn't catch a single trout in the Lamprey om July. There is fishing all summer in the trout ponds.

[luvtofish]

I caught a couple of nice bows at Wiswall dam on July 2 of this past year. Also caught a few nice bows and a couple browns July 3-4 on the Contocook in Henniker.

[BugChucka]

There's been some scattered reports of a trout or two holding over in the Lamprey but the odds of hooking into one are slim to none plus they're stressed from the heat at that time anyway.

If I absolutely was stuck in Southeastern NH and couldn't leave the area at the time I'd first fish salt, then the warmwater ponds, and maybee some of the few trout fishing ponds in the area. Only 2 I can think of with one being not much bigger than a puddle.

[BugChucka]

Henniker is a good drive from the seacoast and I would reccomend other options if you are willing to stray. It's a good river but I wouldn't label it as a go-to destination ya know?

[luvtofish]

Yes, the se area can be very tough to trout fish in the middle of the summer if you are "restricted" to it but at least there is the salt.

[RichShady603]

The reports of Bad Trout fishing in Southern N.H. during the summer are absolutely Not true.. I fish the Lamprey and Piscataquog all summer and rarely have a day with no trout... Although it's not easy and takes some work locating them. Contact me during the summer and i'll pretty much guarantee to put you on some fish during the dog days of summer..

[BugChucka]

Rich,

I've lived in Southern NH all my life and grew up fishing there. I think the trout fishing is pretty bad in the summer and to be honest...you can harm fish at that time. The water temps get pretty bad. Either way...it's not worth the guy planning a trip around. Why should he waste his time and money for a trout or two a day if he's lucky enough to find them after the bait rapers have cleaned out every hole. It hurts me to say that, but much needs to be done before we start inviting anglers to Southern NH trout rivers in the summer. I doubt too many veteran anglers are going to argue with that.

[RichShady603]

My post was in reguards to the non existance of summer trout fishing.. I do agree with you on the water temps and stress of the fish. but, there are a couple areas on these rivers where water temps rarely reach dangerous levels.

[Steve H.]

I'd have to say I'm in BugChucka's camp on this one. I've lived in Southern NH all my life and have spent countless hours fishing the Lamprey, Exeter, North, Little, Cocheco, Bellamy, Isinglass, and others. Like Bugchucka, it pains me to realize that fly fishing these rivers in the summer is at best a futile effort, as I feel that some of these streams could have prolonged seasons with more progressive management. I realize that a small percentage of trout (probably browns) might hold over in some of these streams, and there are probably a few spring holes or cool-water tribs that can help the situation, but the reality is that stream fishing for trout in So. NH is strictly a spring/early-summer endeavor. Maybe someday we'll see an expanded program similar to what's being used on the South Branch Piscataquog with it's "delayed harvest" policy. This is a reasonable approach to improving the fly fishing opportunities on the better examples of this admittedly marginal water. While I don't think fish would have any real shot of holding over here, my vote would go to the North in Nottingham with it's deep, well-shaded pools, and many oxygen-infusing cascades and riffles. This wonderful little stream is literally raped each spring by yahoos who fish to stock their freezers and then leave their beer cans and worm containers strewn along its mossy banks. Talk about adding insult to injury. If we could at least postpone this mess until the summer, when the fish are on the verge of death anyway due to low temp and 02 levels, we might be able to get some nice fly fishing in beforehand.