NH FLY FISHERIES
THE BEST TROUT AND BASS FISHING IN NH
While some rivers in New Hampshire are open year-round for trout and other species, the fishing season for most is from January 1st to October 15th. Most of my guiding with Fly Fish NH happens between March and October, but for those who are willing to brave the cold, there are several stretches of the Connecticut River that hold some of the best trophy trout fishing of the season between January and May.
The Androscoggin River
The Androscoggin River begins in Errol, New Hampshire where it flows from the nutrient-dense Lake Umbagog. From the Errol Dam it runs south through Milan, Berlin and Gorham before cutting through the northernmost stretch of the White Mountains’ 4,000 footers and continuing into Maine.
Fly Fish NH runs guided float and wade trips on the Androscoggin River, with numerous opportunities for both full and half days. Gorham and Shelburne offer excellent wade and half-day float trip options that are less than 45 minutes from North Conway. With views of the White Mountains, the Mahoosucs, and the most striking fall foliage in all of New Hampshire, the fishing is nearly overshadowed by the astounding scenery.
Much of the Androscoggin River is known for its fast riffles and pocket water, which are home to a healthy population of wild rainbow trout. For a number of years, these rainbows have been the most prolific reproducing trout species on the river and can grow to be well over 20.”
The Androscoggin River is also home to a healthy population of fallfish, smallmouth bass and landlocked Atlantic salmon. New Hampshire Fish and Game stocks the river heavily with rainbow trout, brook trout and brown trout as well, so the river is loaded with fish. As a result, the Androscoggin fishes well with nymphs, streamers and dries. It’s an excellent fly fishery for anglers to improve their all-around skills, or for beginners to learn on.
The river fishes well in the early spring and summer—roughly April to the end of June. Because the water running from Umbagog is not cold, the river typically reaches lethal temperatures for trout in July and some of August. As a result, we stop running most trips at that time. Early half day trips are the only option. Once the cooler fall weather rolls in, our normal trip offerings resume.
A sunset view after a guided float trip on the Androscoggin River.
The Androscoggin River is known for its healthy population of wild rainbow trout.
The Connecticut River
Though the Connecticut River is over 400 miles long, I focus my guiding with Fly Fish NH on the “Upper Connecticut River.” This starts in Pittsburg, New Hampshire and ends in Cornish, New Hampshire.
The Connecticut River is home to the best brown trout fishing in the East. In fact, the NH state record brown trout came out of the Connecticut River. While the river is stocked with brown trout, rainbow trout, and a small number of brook trout by New Hampshire Fish and Game, there are many holdover fish and wild fish as well. We frequently run into these quality wild fish on our trips. If you’re looking to have a shot at a trophy wild trout, Fly Fish NH runs trips specifically to target them.
The town of Pittsburg, New Hampshire offers renowned wade fishing. Whether the trophy stretch, or any of the other tailwater stretches in Pittsburg, there are both full and half-day guided wade fishing opportunities. For those who are willing to brave the cold, this region also offers exception winter fishing on guided wade trips in the winter.
As the river continues out of Pittsburg, it’s complexion changes below the West Stewartstown dam. It widens considerably and is characterized by a mix of fast riffled sections, long, slow flats, cut banks and deep pools. There are more than 5 different floats in this section, which offer different opportunities depending on the season. The beauty of these floats on the Upper Connecticut River is that they can suit every angler’s wishes and experience. It’s a great place to learn how to fly fish, or to sharpen your skills after years of angling.
If you want to refine your dry fly fishing skills, the river boasts some of the largest hatches in New Hampshire. With a healthy population of caddis, brown and golden stoneflies, midges and mayflies of many varieties, the options are endless. Often our float trips end with several hours of casting to rising fish. In the summer the terrestrial fishing is a lot of fun, and the spring and fall are the best times to throw streamers for large trout.
Smallmouth Bass — On the lowest stretches of the Upper Connecticut River where the water warms later in the fishing season, Fly Fish NH also guides full and half-day floats for smallmouth bass. While few people target them, it’s a prolific and underappreciated bass fishery. On this stretch of the river, we consistently see bass upwards of three pounds, and there is a high density that are over 5 pounds as well.
Kyler Schaefer with a stunning Connecticut River brown trout.
A beautiful sunset caps off a day of fly fishing New Hampshire’s Connecticut River for brown trout and rainbow trout.
The Connecticut River is an underrated smallmouth bass fishery.
The Saco River
The Saco River begins in Crawford Notch, which is in the White Mountains. It wanders through the valley below many of the 4,000 footers before reaching Bartlett, North Conway and Conway, New Hampshire. It then continues into Maine.
In the early season the Saco River gets very high from winter runoff on Mount Washington and the surrounding mountains. As the trout season progresses on the Saco water levels get increasingly low, and the water becomes crystal clear. This results in some of the most technical and rewarding wade fishing in New Hampshire—and it’s only a minute’s drive from North Conway!
This is the perfect river to hone your fish sighting skills as the clear water and light substrate allow for excellent visibility. Once sighted, we’re able to target this fish with either dries or nymphs. Streamers will work as well, but in the clear water technical nymphing and dry fly fishing is far more effective. There is no better fly fishery in New Hampshire for sight fishing.
Fly Fish NH spends the most time guiding the Saco between North Conway and Conway, with a focus on the fly fishing-only stretch. While there is a small population of large, resident brown trout, the river is stocked heavily with rainbow trout, brook trout and brown trout from New Hampshire Fish and Game.
The Saco River runs through the heart of the White Mountains.
The Saco River is a must-visit if you want to fly fish in NH.
Other NH Rivers
Outside of the Saco, Androscoggin and Connecticut Rivers there are many other small streams in the Mount Washington Valley that Fly Fish NH guides on. Many of them are productive fly fisheries in the early season for rainbow trout and land locked salmon. If you’re interested in an early start to your fishing season in New Hampshire, reach out and we can explore these options.
