2026 regulation year
New Hampshire Fishing Regulations 2026 — License Fees, Seasons, Bag Limits
Last updated
New Hampshire runs a single-agency regulatory system through the NH Fish & Game Department, with the Inland Fisheries Division setting freshwater rules and the Marine Fisheries Division running the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Licence (mandatory for ages 16+ in NH tidal waters under the ASMFC interstate plan — NH is one of the few East-Coast states still requiring a separate saltwater licence rather than a free registry). Lake Winnipesaukee (71 square miles, 44,586 acres in Belknap + Carroll Counties — the largest lake in New Hampshire and the third-largest lake wholly within New England) is NHF&G's flagship coldwater + warmwater multi-species reservoir — self-sustaining lake trout, stocked landlocked Atlantic salmon, smallmouth + largemouth bass, walleye (recently expanded), white perch, yellow perch, chain pickerel, cusk + carryover brook trout. Big Squam Lake (6,791 acres on the Holderness / Center Harbor / Moultonborough / Sandwich line — second-largest lake in NH) supports self-sustaining lake trout + landlocked Atlantic salmon. Lake Sunapee (4,085 acres on the Sunapee / New London / Newbury line, Sullivan + Merrimack Counties) is another self-sustaining lake trout + landlocked Atlantic salmon reservoir — NH-distinctive: Sunapee was the type-locality of the Sunapee Trout (Salvelinus alpinus oquassa subspecies — a glacial-relict Arctic charr) which was driven to functional extinction in NH by introduced rainbow + brown trout competition (the last verified Sunapee Trout caught from Sunapee was in the 1950s; reintroduction attempts have failed). Newfound Lake (4,106 acres in Grafton County, Bristol / Hebron / Bridgewater / Alexandria — one of the cleanest deep-water lakes in New England) + Winnisquam Lake (4,264 acres Belknap County) + Ossipee Lake (3,253 acres Carroll County) + 1st Connecticut Lake (2,807 acres Pittsburg, Coös County — northern NH headwaters) round out the self-sustaining lake trout tier. NH supports SIX known self-sustaining lake trout lakes (Winnipesaukee + Big Squam + Sunapee + Newfound + Winnisquam + 1st Connecticut) — one of the highest concentrations on the Atlantic seaboard south of Maine. NHF&G's stocking program releases 350,000+ catchable rainbow + brown + brook trout annually across designated stocked streams + ponds via the New Hampton + Berlin + Powder Mill + Milford state hatcheries. The Connecticut River main stem from the MA boundary at Hinsdale upstream to the Canadian border (Pittsburg) is the NH/VT boundary water under the long-standing reciprocity statute (already in `lib/data/reciprocity.ts`): either a NH or VT freshwater fishing licence is valid on the entire main stem + four boundary impoundments (Wilder, Bellows Falls, Vernon, Moore / Comerford). The Salmon Falls River (the NH/ME boundary in Strafford + Carroll + York Counties) operates under the NH ↔ ME boundary-waters reciprocity (also already in `reciprocity.ts`) — both states honor each other's freshwater licence on the listed boundary lakes + ponds + the Salmon Falls River main stem. The Androscoggin River (Coös County — Errol to Berlin tailwater below Errol Dam outflow of Umbagog Lake) is one of New England's premier wild brook + brown trout tailwaters. The Diamond River + Magalloway River + Mohawk River + Indian Stream + Connecticut Lakes region (Pittsburg, Coös County) carries NH's most-celebrated wild brook trout headwater tier — including the legendary 'Trophy Stretch' of the upper Connecticut River between First and Second Connecticut Lakes (fly-fishing-only catch-and-release artificial-lures-only year-round). Pemigewasset River + Saco River + Lamprey River + Suncook River round out the central + south-central NH stream trout tier. The Great Bay Estuary (Newington / Stratham / Greenland / Newmarket / Durham / Dover — a 6,000-acre brackish estuary 10 miles inland from the Atlantic coast) is the saltwater striped bass + summer flounder + winter flounder + smelt + tomcod backbone. Hampton Beach State Park + Rye Harbor + Portsmouth Harbor + the Isles of Shoals (10 miles offshore — co-managed with Maine) carry the open Atlantic coast tier — striped bass, summer flounder, tautog, Atlantic mackerel, bluefish, Atlantic pollock, cod (now under closed federal regulation), Atlantic halibut (closed federal recreational), and Atlantic cusk. NH adopted ASMFC Addendum II harmonized striped bass recreational rule in 2023 — 28-31 in slot + 1 / day per angler (same as CT, MA, RI, NY, NJ, MD, VA recreational). Circle hooks REQUIRED on natural bait for striped bass since 2021 (NHF&G rule, matches ASMFC mandate). NH state-record landlocked Atlantic salmon 18 lb 8 oz (Pleasant Lake, New London, 1942); rainbow trout 15 lb 7.2 oz (Pemigewasset River, Bristol, 1996); brown trout 16 lb 6 oz (Connecticut River, Pittsburg, 1975); lake trout 37 lb 10.4 oz (Big Diamond Pond, Stewartstown, 2020); brook trout 9 lb (Pleasant Lake, New London, 1911).
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License fees
| Licence | Price (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Resident annual fishing | $45.00 | |
| Resident 3-day fishing | $28.00 | |
| Resident 1-day fishing | $18.50 | |
| Resident hunt + fish combo | $56.00 | |
| Resident senior (68+) annual fishing | $7.00 | NH-distinctive — most states use 65 cutoff |
| Resident Saltwater Recreational Licence (annual) | $11.00 | Marine Fisheries Division — required ages 16+ in tidal waters |
| Resident under 16 | Free | Not required under age 16 |
| Resident disabled veteran 100% | Free | Free Veteran's Hunt + Fish licence with eligibility documentation |
| Resident paraplegic / blind | Free | Free with eligibility documentation |
| Licence | Price (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Non-resident annual fishing | $63.00 | |
| Non-resident 7-day fishing | $41.00 | |
| Non-resident 3-day fishing | $35.00 | |
| Non-resident 1-day fishing | $18.50 | |
| Non-resident hunt + fish combo | $145.00 | |
| Non-resident Saltwater Recreational Licence (annual) | $11.00 | Marine Fisheries Division — required ages 16+; reciprocal exemption for CT + MA + RI + NY saltwater permit holders |
| Non-resident under 16 | Free | Not required under age 16 |
Buy directly from New Hampshire Fish & Game Department (NHF&G) — Inland Fisheries Division + Marine Fisheries Division. Fees may include processing surcharges at point of sale.
Top species — season, bag, size
| Species | Season | Daily bag | Size / slot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake troutCompare across states → | Open ice-out (typically April 1) through end of October on most lakes; January ice-fishing season for listed waters | 2 / day per angler (Lake Winnipesaukee + most lake trout waters); 1 / day Lake Sunapee + Newfound | 18 in min Winnipesaukee + Big Squam + most lake trout waters; 24 in min Sunapee + Newfound trophy management |
| Smallmouth bassCompare across states → | Year-round on most waters; statewide third Saturday in June opener historically (now eased, but listed waters retain spring closures) | 2 / day combined black bass (largemouth + smallmouth) statewide | 12 in min statewide; 16 in min Lake Sunapee trophy management |
| Largemouth bassCompare across states → | Year-round on most waters; statewide third Saturday in June opener historically (now eased, but listed waters retain spring closures) | 2 / day combined black bass (largemouth + smallmouth) statewide | 12 in min statewide |
| Brook trout (native Eastern brook trout)Compare across states → | Open fourth Saturday in April through October 15 on most streams; year-round on listed designated trout ponds + year-round catch-and-release on the Trophy Stretch | 5 / day combined trout (brook + brown + rainbow) on standard waters; 2 / day Trophy Trout Ponds | No minimum on stocked waters; 8 in min wild brook trout streams; 18 in min Trophy Trout Ponds |
| Striped bassCompare across states → | NH Atlantic coast + Great Bay Estuary year-round open under ASMFC plan (recreational rule annually set) | 1 / day per angler (ASMFC harmonized recreational) | 28–31 in protected slot (ASMFC Addendum II harmonized recreational) |
| Landlocked Atlantic salmon | April 1 – September 30 on designated salmon lakes (closed Oct 1 – Mar 31; no ice fishing) | 2 / day (within a combined 4-fish trout + salmon daily limit on salmon lakes) | 15 in min |
| Rainbow troutCompare across states → | Rivers + streams January 1 – October 15; lakes + ponds open-water season; Designated Trout Ponds 4th Saturday in April – October 15 | 5 fish or 5 lbs combined trout (brook + brown + rainbow), no length limit | No minimum length |
| Brown troutCompare across states → | Rivers + streams January 1 – October 15; lakes + ponds open-water season; Trophy reaches year-round catch-and-release | 5 fish or 5 lbs combined trout (brook + brown + rainbow), no length limit | No minimum length; 18 in min Trophy Trout Ponds |
Notable water-body special regulations
71 sq mi (44,586 acres) — largest lake in NH, 3rd largest in New England; self-sustaining lake trout 18 in min + 2 / day; landlocked Atlantic salmon (stocked) 15 in min + 2 / day (within combined 4-fish trout + salmon); smallmouth + largemouth 12 in min + 2 / day combined; walleye (recently established) 18 in min + 4 / day; cusk + white perch + yellow perch + chain pickerel
6,791-acre — 2nd largest lake in NH; self-sustaining lake trout 18 in min + 2 / day; landlocked Atlantic salmon (stocked) 15 in min + 2 / day (within combined 4-fish trout + salmon); smallmouth + largemouth 12 in min + 2 / day combined; lake whitefish + cusk; iconic 'On Golden Pond' lake
4,085-acre — self-sustaining lake trout 24 in min + 1 / day TROPHY MANAGEMENT; landlocked Atlantic salmon 15 in min + 2 / day (within combined 4-fish trout + salmon); smallmouth 16 in min + 2 / day TROPHY MANAGEMENT; cusk + lake whitefish; type-locality of the functionally-extinct Sunapee Trout (Salvelinus alpinus oquassa, glacial-relict Arctic charr — last verified catch 1950s)
4,106-acre — one of the cleanest deep-water lakes in New England (200+ ft max depth); self-sustaining lake trout 24 in min + 1 / day TROPHY MANAGEMENT; landlocked Atlantic salmon 15 in min + 2 / day (within combined 4-fish trout + salmon); smallmouth + largemouth 12 in min + 2 / day combined; rainbow + brown trout (stocked); cusk
4,264-acre — self-sustaining lake trout 18 in min + 2 / day; smallmouth + largemouth 12 in min + 2 / day combined; walleye + white perch + yellow perch
3,253-acre — self-sustaining lake trout 18 in min + 2 / day; smallmouth + largemouth 12 in min + 2 / day combined; rainbow + brown trout (stocked); landlocked Atlantic salmon (stocked)
2,807-acre — northern NH headwaters of the Connecticut River; self-sustaining lake trout 18 in min + 2 / day; landlocked Atlantic salmon (stocked) 15 in min + 2 / day (within combined 4-fish trout + salmon); brook + brown + rainbow trout; uppermost of the 4 Connecticut Lakes chain (1st + 2nd + 3rd + 4th Connecticut Lake)
Connecticut Lakes 'Trophy Stretch'
Premier NH wild brook + brown trout fly-fishing-only catch-and-release artificial-lures-only year-round; fly-rod legend reach of the Connecticut River headwaters; 18 in min Trophy Pond rules on the connecting ponds
1,286-acre — Trophy Trout Pond rules; 18 in min brook + brown + rainbow + lake trout, 2 / day combined; landlocked Atlantic salmon (stocked) 15 in min + 2 / day (within combined 4-fish trout + salmon); catch-and-release reach on listed sections
278-acre — Trophy Trout Pond rules; 18 in min wild brook trout, 2 / day; native + wild brook trout focus; one of NH's most-protected wild trout waters
Connecticut River main stem — NH/VT boundary
NH/VT boundary water reciprocal — either NH or VT freshwater licence valid on entire main stem + 4 boundary impoundments (Wilder, Bellows Falls, Vernon, Moore/Comerford); 12 in min smallmouth + largemouth, 2 / day combined; walleye 15 in min, 6 / day; trout per NH rule; American shad spring spawning run April – June; Atlantic salmon stocking historic (USFWS Connecticut River restoration program ended 2012)
NH/ME boundary water — NH or ME freshwater licence reciprocally honored on Salmon Falls River main stem + listed boundary lakes (per current NHF&G + MDIFW boundary-waters statute); 12 in min smallmouth + 2 / day; trout per current NH rule
Androscoggin River — Errol to Berlin
Premier New England wild brook + brown trout tailwater on cold-water releases from Umbagog Lake via Errol Dam; standard regs with Trophy Stretch catch-and-release reaches; rainbow + brown + brook trout; one of NH's most-celebrated trout rivers
Magalloway tributary — premier wild brook + brown trout; standard regs; remote backcountry access on Dartmouth College timber lands
ME/NH boundary tributary feeding into Umbagog Lake; wild brook + brown trout + landlocked Atlantic salmon migration; ME-side regs apply to ME portion
Central NH wild brook + brown trout + stocked rainbow + brown; standard regs; flows into Merrimack at Franklin
Eastern NH stocked rainbow + brown trout + landlocked Atlantic salmon (stocked listed reaches); standard regs; popular tubing river in summer; crosses into ME at Brownfield
Eastern NH wild brown + brook trout + stocked rainbow; coastal-plain stream + Wild & Scenic federally designated; standard regs
6,000-acre brackish estuary 10 miles inland from Atlantic coast; NH Marine Fisheries Division jurisdiction; NH Saltwater Recreational Licence required ages 16+; striped bass 28–31 in slot + 1 / day; summer flounder per ASMFC; winter flounder + smelt + tomcod + Atlantic herring + American shad spring spawn (catch-and-release ONLY since 2011)
NH Marine Fisheries Division; striped bass 28–31 in slot + 1 / day ASMFC; summer flounder + tautog + Atlantic mackerel + bluefish + pollock; circle hooks REQUIRED on natural bait for striped bass since 2021; NH Saltwater Recreational Licence required ages 16+; reciprocal exemption for CT + MA + RI + NY permit holders
Co-managed with Maine via Isles of Shoals state-line; 4 NH islands (Star, Lunging, White, Seavey) + 5 ME islands (Appledore, Cedar, Smuttynose, Malaga, Duck); cod + haddock + Atlantic pollock (cod under closed federal regulation, recreational); striped bass + Atlantic mackerel + pollock; either NH or ME saltwater licence honored per Isles of Shoals compact
7,850-acre NH/ME boundary lake — NH portion 3,500 acres, ME portion 4,350 acres; Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge surrounding lake; smallmouth + largemouth 12 in min + 2 / day combined; brook + lake trout; landlocked Atlantic salmon (stocked); waterfowl protected reach
Stonehouse Pond (Barrington, Strafford County)
NHFG fly-fishing-only pond — fly fishing only, no bait or spinning gear (vs the statewide all-legal-methods, 5-trout default); a well-known Barrington brook + rainbow trout fly-fishing destination beneath a granite cliff
Archery Pond (Allenstown, Merrimack County)
NHFG fly-fishing-only pond in Bear Brook State Park — fly fishing only; daily limit for brook trout reduced to 2 fish (vs the statewide 5-trout, all-methods default)
Willard Pond (Antrim, Hillsborough County)
NHFG fly-fishing-only pond — fly fishing only; no petroleum-powered motors (vs the statewide all-legal-methods default); a quiet dePierrefeu–Willard Pond Audubon sanctuary water
Profile Lake (Franconia, Grafton County)
NHFG fly-fishing-only brook-trout water in Franconia Notch State Park — fly fishing only; no brook trout 12–16 in may be kept (protected slot); daily limit 2 brook trout, only one over 16 in (vs the statewide 5-trout, all-methods default); the former 'Old Man of the Mountain' lake
Saco Lake (Carroll, Coos County)
NHFG fly-fishing-only pond at the head of the Saco River in Crawford Notch State Park — fly fishing only; no motors (vs the statewide all-legal-methods default); distinct from the downstream Saco River
Upper Hall Pond (Sandwich, Carroll County)
NHFG fly-fishing-only brook-trout pond — fly fishing only; no brook trout 12–16 in kept (protected slot); daily limit 2 brook trout, only one over 16 in; no motors (vs the statewide 5-trout, all-methods default)
Sky Pond (New Hampton, Belknap County)
NHFG fly-fishing-only brook-trout pond — fly fishing only; no brook trout 12–16 in kept (protected slot); daily limit 2 brook trout, only one over 16 in; no motors (vs the statewide 5-trout, all-methods default)
Cole Pond (Enfield, Grafton County)
NHFG fly-fishing-only brook-trout pond — fly fishing only; no brook trout 12–16 in kept (protected slot); daily limit 2 brook trout, only one over 16 in (vs the statewide 5-trout, all-methods default)
Lime Pond (Columbia, Coos County)
NHFG fly-fishing-only brook-trout pond — fly fishing only; no brook trout 12–16 in kept (protected slot); daily limit 2 brook trout, only one over 16 in (vs the statewide 5-trout, all-methods default); a remote North Country pond
Shaw Pond (Freedom, Carroll County)
NHFG fly-fishing-only brook-trout pond — fly fishing only; no brook trout 12–16 in kept (protected slot); daily limit 2 brook trout, only one over 16 in; no petroleum-powered motors (vs the statewide 5-trout, all-methods default)
Coldrain Pond (New Durham, Strafford County)
NHFG fly-fishing-only pond — fly fishing only, no bait or spinning gear (vs the statewide all-legal-methods, 5-trout default); a stocked brook + rainbow trout pond
White Pond, Ossipee (Carroll County)
NHFG fly-fishing-only pond — fly fishing only; 6 MPH boat speed limit (vs the statewide all-legal-methods default); the Ossipee White Pond, one of several NH waters sharing the name
Clarksville Pond (Clarksville, Coos County)
NHFG fly-fishing-only pond — fly fishing only; no petroleum-powered motors, electric motors limited to trolling speed (vs the statewide all-legal-methods default); a North Country brook-trout pond
Mountain Pond, Brookfield (Carroll County)
NHFG artificial-only brook-trout pond — only single-hook artificial lures and flies, all hooks barbless or pinched; no brook trout 12–16 in kept (protected slot); daily limit 2 brook trout, only one over 16 in (vs the statewide 5-trout, bait-allowed default); the Brookfield Mountain Pond
Lake Waukewan (Meredith, Belknap County)
NHFG reduced-trout-limit lake — daily limit for trout reduced to 2 fish; fishing restricted near the town water intake (vs the statewide 5-trout default); a Lakes Region trout + bass water above Meredith Bay
Winona Lake (Center Harbor, Belknap County)
NHFG reduced-trout-limit lake — daily limit for trout reduced to 2 fish (vs the statewide 5-trout default); a Lakes Region water on the Center Harbor / Meredith / New Hampton line
Jericho Lake (Berlin, Coos County)
NHFG special-season water in Jericho Mountain State Park — open to all species except salmon and smelt year-round by all legal methods; northern pike 3 / day with a 20 in minimum length (a named-water pike rule absent from the statewide default)
Big Diamond Pond (Stewartstown, Coos County)
NHFG lake-trout / salmon water — no minimum length for trout; lake trout 15 in minimum, 2 / day; combined salmon + trout 4 / day of which no more than 2 may be salmon (vs the statewide 5-trout default); a North Country togue + landlocked-salmon pond
Granite Lake (Stoddard, Cheshire County)
NHFG lake-trout / salmon water — no minimum length for trout; lake trout 15 in minimum, 2 / day; combined salmon + trout 4 / day of which no more than 2 may be salmon (vs the statewide 5-trout default); a southwestern-NH cold-water lake on the Nelson / Stoddard line
Nubanusit Lake (Hancock, Hillsborough County)
NHFG lake-trout / salmon water — no minimum length for trout; lake trout 15 in minimum, 2 / day; combined salmon + trout 4 / day of which no more than 2 may be salmon (vs the statewide 5-trout default); a deep Hancock / Nelson lake managed for togue + landlocked salmon
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a fishing license to fish in New Hampshire?
- Yes. New Hampshire requires residents and non-residents alike to hold a valid fishing license, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. Buy directly from New Hampshire Fish & Game Department (NHF&G) — Inland Fisheries Division + Marine Fisheries Division; resident and non-resident fees are listed in the tables above.
- How much is a fishing license in New Hampshire?
- Resident fees range from $7.00 (resident senior (68+) annual fishing) to $56.00 (resident hunt + fish combo); Non-resident fees range from $11.00 (non-resident saltwater recreational licence (annual)) to $145.00 (non-resident hunt + fish combo). The full breakdown — annual, multi-day, senior, and lifetime options — is in the license-fee tables above, and you can compare New Hampshire against every other state on the license-fee comparator.
- What fish can you catch in New Hampshire?
- New Hampshire anglers most commonly target Lake trout, Smallmouth bass, Largemouth bass, Brook trout (native Eastern brook trout), Striped bass, Landlocked Atlantic salmon, and others. Each species sets its own season, daily bag, and size or slot limit — compare them in the species table above, or open a species page for the full 2026 rule.
- When does fishing season open in New Hampshire?
- It depends on the species — New Hampshire sets a separate season for each. Warmwater fish like bass, catfish, and panfish are open year-round in most of the state, while trout, walleye, salmon, and other cold-water or migratory species have dated seasons. The season column in the table above shows each one, and New Hampshire Fish & Game Department (NHF&G) — Inland Fisheries Division + Marine Fisheries Division can shift dates by emergency order.
- Are there special fishing rules on specific New Hampshire waters?
- Yes. 42 named New Hampshire waters carry regulations that differ from the statewide rule, including Lake Winnipesaukee, Big Squam Lake, Lake Sunapee, and 39 more. See the notable water-body special regulations above for the exact rule on each.
Official source
New Hampshire Fish & Game Department (NHF&G) — Inland Fisheries Division + Marine Fisheries Division is the authoritative source for New Hampshire fishing regulations. Always verify rules before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override published booklets.
Visit official New Hampshire fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to New Hampshire Fish & Game Department's emergency-order feed — check it before any New Hampshire trip during the active season.