Skip to Main Content Skip to Main Navigation

Rivers & Streams: General Fishing Rules

Facebook

Twitter Email More Print

Brought to you by:

General Fishing Rules for Rivers and Streams apply to most rivers and streams in the state. Follow the seasons, bag limits, length limits, and important notes listed with each species in the chart.

In general, rivers and streams are CLOSED TO ALL FISHING from Oct. 16 through Dec. 31, unless specified for a particular river in the Rivers and Streams with Special Rules section.

Fishing through the ice, from the ice, or from any object supported by the ice is prohibited unless specified for a particular river in the Rivers and Streams with Special Rules section.

Rivers & Streams with Special Rules

This section has information on rivers and streams with Special Rules. These rivers and streams have rules that may differ from, or be in addition to, General Fishing Rules for Rivers and Streams.

Review the Rivers & Streams With Special Rules section. If you find the waterbody you intend to fish, look immediately beside it for the rules on season dates, bag limits, length limits and methods of taking.

In instances where special limits, seasons, and methods of taking are not noted for a particular river or stream, the General Fishing Rules for Rivers & Streams apply.

For information on interstate waters, see Interstate Waters section.

General Fishing Rules for Rivers & Streams
SPECIES	Season	Bag Limits & Minimum Lengths	Important Notes
Black Bass (Smallmouth Bass & Largemouth Bass)	January 1 to May 14 and June 16 to June 30	2 fish daily limit.
	May 15 to June 15	Catch and release only.	Artificial lures and flies only.
	July 1 to October 15	5 fish daily limit.
	January 1 to March 31	2 fish daily limit; only 1 fish >16 inches.
Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout and their hybrids	January 1 to October 15	5 fish or 5 pounds daily limit, whichever is reached first; no length limit.
Lake Trout	January 1 to September 30	2 fish daily limit for lake trout and salmon combined (2 lake trout, 2 salmon, or 1 of each); minimum length 18 inches.	Combined daily limit applies only during salmon season, April 1 – Sept. 30.
Landlocked Salmon	April 1 to September 30	2 fish daily limit for lake trout and salmon combined (2 lake trout, 2 salmon, or 1 of each); minimum length 15 inches.	Salmon may not be taken in any water body after September 30 and before April 1. Salmon may not be taken through the ice.
Pickerel	January 1 to October 15	10 fish daily limit; no length or weight limits.	See illustration in Fish Identification.
Northern Pike	January 1 to October 15	1 fish daily limit; minimum length 28 inches.	See illustration in Fish Identification.
Walleye	January 1 to October 15	2 fish daily limit; minimum length 18 inches; no weight limit.
White & Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Sunfish, Horned Pout	January 1 to October 15	25 fish each species daily limit; no more than 50 fish total combined; no length or weight limits.
Rock Bass	January 1 to October 15	No daily limit; no length or weight limits.
Carp	January 1 to October 15	No daily limit; no length or weight limits.	Carp may be taken in the Connecticut River, Merrimack River, and Mascoma Lake by bow and arrow with cord attached.
Cusk	January 1 to October 15	No daily limit; no length or weight limits.
American Shad	January 1 to October 15	2 fish daily limit; no length or weight limits.
Shad (Whitefish)	January 1 to October 15	2 fish daily limit; no length or weight limits.
Smelt	For smelt angling rules and waterbodies open to the taking of this species by dip net, see Freshwater Smelt.
Suckers	January 1 to October 15	No daily limits; no length or weight limits.	Suckers may be taken for personal use with two traps, not more than 50 inches long, 30 inches wide, with an opening no smaller than 3½ inches in diameter. All traps or holding boxes will have the name and address of the owner.
Suckers	March 1 to May 31	No daily limits; no length or weight limits.	Suckers may be taken by hand dip nets not over 18 inches in diameter, drop nets not over 48 inches in diameter, spears or bow and arrow with cord attached. Suckers taken by spear or bow and arrow must not be left in, or adjacent to, the body of water.

Brought to you by:

Conservation Partner Advertisements: The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department allows appropriate advertising in its annual regulation guides in print and online, in order to defray or eliminate expenses to the state, and support enhanced communications with New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Constituents. Through a unique partnership with J.F.Griffin Publishing, LLC & eRegulations.com, ‘Conservation Partners’ have been established that pay for advertising in support of the regulations both in print and online. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department neither endorses products or services listed or claims made; nor accepts any liability arising from the use of products or services listed. Advertisers interested in the Conservation Partners program should contact J.F.Griffin/eRegulations.com directly at 413-884-1001,

This is not the full law. Consult the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department for further details. All persons are reminded that the statutes, code and regulations are the legal authorities.

J.F. Griffin Media reaches 9,000,000 sportsmen every year through our print and digital publications. We produce 30 hunting and fishing regulation guides for 15 state agencies. For advertising information, please visit: www.jfgriffin.com