Branch River Reservoir in Carroll County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Branch River Reservoir lies in Carroll County, in New Hampshire. Beyond the shoreline you have rolling bush. About 4 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Carroll County. For supplies, Sanbornville is 4.3 miles out. The big place round here is Manchester, 40 miles distant. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Branch River Reservoir

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Survey and observation records for Carroll County include rainbow trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass and rainbow smelt. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Branch River Reservoir the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 20°F to 69°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The lid usually goes in early April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near mid December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Branch River Reservoir runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Union Meadows, 0.9 miles out. For Branch River Reservoir in particular, ask before you travel.