Rivers & Streams: General Rules
General Fishing Rules
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.
Rivers & Streams with Special Rules
The Rivers & Streams with Special Rules 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.
Go to 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.
Interstate Waters: See Interstate Waters section.
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Species |
Season |
Bag Limits & Minimum Lengths |
Important Notes |
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Black Bass (Smallmouth Bass & |
January 1 to May 14 and June 16 to June 30 |
2 fish daily limit. |
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May 15 to June 15 |
Catch and release only. |
Artificial lures and flies only. |
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July 1 to October 15 |
5 fish daily limit. |
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January 1 to March 31 |
2 fish daily limit; only 1 fish >16 inches. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Pickerel |
January 1 to October 15 |
10 fish daily limit; no length or weight limits. |
See illustration in Fish Identification section. |
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Northern Pike |
January 1 to October 15 |
1 fish daily limit; minimum length 28 inches. |
See illustration in Fish Identification section. |
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Walleye |
January 1 to October 15 |
2 fish daily limit; minimum length 18 inches; no weight limit. |
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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. |
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Rock Bass |
January 1 to October 15 |
No daily limit; no length or weight limits. |
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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. |
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Cusk |
January 1 to October 15 |
No daily limit; no length or weight limits. |
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American Shad |
January 1 to October 15 |
Proposed rule change to catch-and-release only beginning in 2013. Contact Inland Fisheries Division at 603-271-2501 or visit fishnh.com. |
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Shad (Whitefish) |
January 1 to October 15 |
2 fish daily limit; no length or weight limits. |
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Smelt |
For smelt angling rules and waterbodies open to the taking of this species by dip net, see Freshwater Smelt. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
Regulations in red are new this year.
Purple text indicates an important note.
