Fishing

Where’s the best fishing?

Whether you’re trying to catch bass, salmon, or trout, your best bet is to try a guided fishing tour. Or check out the State of NH’s Fish and Game Department guide to Lakes Region fishing, including Lake Winnipesaukee. If you’re just looking for supplies, the Tackle Shack (603) 279-3152, located at 54 NH-25 C in Meredith, carries everything for fishing, from rods and reels to lures and bait. You can even puchase your NH fishing license there. You can rent a fishing boat at Fay’s Boat Yard (603) 293-8000 in Gilford.

Varieties of fish in Lake Winnipesaukee. A clipping from the 1930 Lakes Region Guide.

THE 28 FISH SPECIES IN LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE

SPECIES	PHOTO
1. American Eel
2. Banded Killifish
3. Black Crappie. One of the Ice Fishing Derby game species. Minimum length of 13".
4. Bluegill
5. Bridle Shiner
6. Brook Trout
7. Brown Bullhead
8. Burbot (Cusk). One of the Ice Fishing Derby game species. Minimum length of 22".
9. Chain Pickerel. Also known as the Eastern Pickerel. One of the Ice Fishing Derby game species. Minimum length of 22".
10. Common Shiner
11. Common Sunfish
12. Creek Chubsucker
13. Fallfish
14. Golden Shiner
15. Lake Trout. One of the Ice Fishing Derby game species. Minimum length of 22".
16. Lake Whitefish
17. Landlocked Salmon
18. Largemouth Bass
19. Rainbow Smelt
20. Rainbow Trout. One of the Ice Fishing Derby game species. Minimum length of 17".
21. Redbreast Sunfish
22. Rock Bass
23. Slimy Sculpin
24. Smallmouth Bass
25. White Perch. One of the Ice Fishing Derby game species. Minimum length of 14".
26. White Sucker
27. Yellow Bullhead
28. Yellow Perch. One of the Ice Fishing Derby game species. Minimum length of 12".

Historic Postcards of Fishing on Lake Winnipesaukee

Generic postcards all extol about how good the fishing is in Lake Winnipesaukee and its surrounding towns. Some cards humorously exaggerate the point, with depictions of giant fish being caught.