Clay Pond in Merrimack County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  New Hampshire holds Clay Pond, in Merrimack County. The water sits 433 feet up. At about 30 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Some 4.2 miles away sits Hooksett, the nearest settlement. The nearest city of size is Manchester, 6.8 miles away. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply. It is the kind of place people fish for years without exhausting.

• Where to Fish on Clay Pond

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Merrimack County cover rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, brown trout and rainbow smelt. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The near bank of Clay Pond is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 69°F and January at 21°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. On average, early April opens the water and mid December closes it again. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Plan around that when you fish Clay Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. The water borders Clay Pond Headwaters Conservation Area, so reserve rules are likely to apply. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Dubes Pond, 1.1 miles out. Check the position on Clay Pond before loading the car.