The Cold River- Starts at Crescent Lake and flows 22 miles before spilling into the Connecticut River in Walpole, NH. Below a marshy area in Lempster, the river has a beautiful canopy of trees keeping the water cool and allowing for wild populations of fish in addition to stocked fish. If you like fishing pocket water you will love this stretch. The river becomes wider with less cover below Vilas Pool in Alstead and then in Walpole the River plunges into Drewsville Gorge where there are cool and oxygenated refuges for trout due to depth, turbulence and shade. This allows for a reproducing population in this stretch and impressive hold overs. If 2 to 3 pound smallmouth on the fly are what you're after, from here to the mouth of the river is the area you want to fish.
The Ashuelot River- Is the longest tributary of the Connecticut River in New Hampshire, at 64 miles in length. The river flows out of Butterfield Pond in Pillsbury State Park and includes varied habitat over its length. The stretches in Marlow, Gilsum and Surry contain great water for catching stocked rainbows with some of these areas staying cool enough to support some native brook trout. The South Branch of the river in Troy and East Swanzey is a fly-fishing-only stretch that is smaller with lots of cover and is a pocket water lover's dream. There are wild brook and brown trout here along with stocked browns.
The Sugar River- A 27-mile River flowing out of Lake Sunapee and dumping into the Connecticut River in Claremont, NH. This river is stocked heavily with rainbows and browns. There is fly-fishing-only stretch in Kelleyville that we focus on. This stretch has easy access, as a rail trail runs along the river. It is best fished in the spring but can produce in the summer during those years that have enough rain to maintain flows.
The Black River- A 41 mile river flowing from Plymouth, Vermont and dumping into the Connecticut River in Springfield. We focus on a state-designated trophy stretch that is approximately four miles long in Weathersfield and Cavendish. This section is open to fishing year round with special regulations. The trophy stretch is wonderful trout water with a constant riffle, run and pool profile. The trout, mostly rainbows, tend to run larger here and the stretch is known to have many holdovers each year.
The Connecticut River- The tailwaters below the Bellows Falls dam provide for wide open casting. Wading access depends on the dam release schedule. The trout, particularly near entering tributaries tend to run larger and hatches of insects on the river are plentiful. The smallmouth bass fishery is outstanding with fish averaging 2-3 pounds. Along with fishing, bald eagles, ospreys, egrets, herons and many other birds can be enjoyed while on the river. In the northern part of New Hampshire, the stretch of river in Pittsburg is a well-known and productive fly-fishing-only area. It is one of the best fisheries in northern New England for trout and landlocked salmon. There is an excellent pool, riffle and run profile here, there are abundant hatches of insects and water stays cool throughout the summer due to bottom releases from the dams.
Great Brook- A tributary of the Cold River in Langdon and Walpole. One hemlock ravine we fish is an area of exceptional beauty. The water here is shaded and stays cool throughout the year, supporting a healthy population of native brook trout. These beautiful brookies readily rise to dry flies and are smaller than you find in larger bodies of water, but I have had some 10-inch surprises and they are a lot of fun a 2 or 3 weight rod.
East Putney Brook- A small tributary of the Connecticut river in the towns of Putney and Westminster West, VT. There is abundant cover along this stretch and the brook supports a healthy population of native brook trout. This is a place for a shorter 2 or 3 weight rod, but if we venture near the mouth the river in the Connecticut I advise clients to switch over to a five weight as there are sizeable smallmouth bass here.
The Ashuelot River- Is the longest tributary of the Connecticut River in New Hampshire, at 64 miles in length. The river flows out of Butterfield Pond in Pillsbury State Park and includes varied habitat over its length. The stretches in Marlow, Gilsum and Surry contain great water for catching stocked rainbows with some of these areas staying cool enough to support some native brook trout. The South Branch of the river in Troy and East Swanzey is a fly-fishing-only stretch that is smaller with lots of cover and is a pocket water lover's dream. There are wild brook and brown trout here along with stocked browns.
The Sugar River- A 27-mile River flowing out of Lake Sunapee and dumping into the Connecticut River in Claremont, NH. This river is stocked heavily with rainbows and browns. There is fly-fishing-only stretch in Kelleyville that we focus on. This stretch has easy access, as a rail trail runs along the river. It is best fished in the spring but can produce in the summer during those years that have enough rain to maintain flows.
The Black River- A 41 mile river flowing from Plymouth, Vermont and dumping into the Connecticut River in Springfield. We focus on a state-designated trophy stretch that is approximately four miles long in Weathersfield and Cavendish. This section is open to fishing year round with special regulations. The trophy stretch is wonderful trout water with a constant riffle, run and pool profile. The trout, mostly rainbows, tend to run larger here and the stretch is known to have many holdovers each year.
The Connecticut River- The tailwaters below the Bellows Falls dam provide for wide open casting. Wading access depends on the dam release schedule. The trout, particularly near entering tributaries tend to run larger and hatches of insects on the river are plentiful. The smallmouth bass fishery is outstanding with fish averaging 2-3 pounds. Along with fishing, bald eagles, ospreys, egrets, herons and many other birds can be enjoyed while on the river. In the northern part of New Hampshire, the stretch of river in Pittsburg is a well-known and productive fly-fishing-only area. It is one of the best fisheries in northern New England for trout and landlocked salmon. There is an excellent pool, riffle and run profile here, there are abundant hatches of insects and water stays cool throughout the summer due to bottom releases from the dams.
Great Brook- A tributary of the Cold River in Langdon and Walpole. One hemlock ravine we fish is an area of exceptional beauty. The water here is shaded and stays cool throughout the year, supporting a healthy population of native brook trout. These beautiful brookies readily rise to dry flies and are smaller than you find in larger bodies of water, but I have had some 10-inch surprises and they are a lot of fun a 2 or 3 weight rod.
East Putney Brook- A small tributary of the Connecticut river in the towns of Putney and Westminster West, VT. There is abundant cover along this stretch and the brook supports a healthy population of native brook trout. This is a place for a shorter 2 or 3 weight rod, but if we venture near the mouth the river in the Connecticut I advise clients to switch over to a five weight as there are sizeable smallmouth bass here.
