Baboosic Lake in Hillsborough County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Baboosic Lake sits in Hillsborough County, out in New Hampshire. The surroundings are rolling bush. Surface area is around 229 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. At about 4.0 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Size puts it in the front rank of our Hillsborough County list. Head to Merrimack, 4.5 miles away, for anything you forgot. Manchester is the closest city, 9.9 miles away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Baboosic Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Across Hillsborough County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, largemouth bass, brown trout, smallmouth bass and bluegill. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Fish Baboosic Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 70°F at the top of summer and 22°F at the bottom of winter. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early April. Break-up near early April, freeze-up near late December: that is the shape of an average year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Expect Baboosic Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, Jakes Pond is 2 miles off. Check the position on Baboosic Lake before loading the car.