Contoocook Lake near Jaffrey: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Contoocook Lake belongs to Cheshire County, New Hampshire. It sits at 1,017 feet above sea level. At 323 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. It ranks high for size among our Cheshire County listings. Nearest place of any size is Jaffrey, 0.9 miles away. For a city, Manchester is 32 miles off. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Contoocook Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Open biodiversity records for Cheshire County list rainbow trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and rainbow smelt. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Contoocook Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 19°F in January up to 68°F in July. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early April. From about early April to around mid December, expect open water on the long-run figures. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Time your trip to Contoocook Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. You can launch from a ramp around half a mile away. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. Part of this sits inside or beside Carey Park, so read the notices. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Mountain Brook Reservoir, 0.7 miles out. Nothing on Contoocook Lake should be assumed from this page alone.