French Pond Fishing near Henniker, New Hampshire

• Overview

  French Pond is a Merrimack County water, New Hampshire side. Land around it is pine and birch. Surface area is around 37 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The full circuit measures close to 1.0 miles on foot. You are 2.5 miles from Henniker. For a city, Manchester is 21 miles off. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on French Pond

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Survey and observation records for Merrimack County include rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, brown trout and rainbow smelt. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Read French Pond for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 69°F on average, January about 20°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early April. Average temperatures cross freezing around early April in spring and again near mid December in autumn. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to French Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A slipway is marked about half a mile from here. Overnight stays are possible about half a mile out, where camping is mapped. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Keyser Pond, 1.1 miles away. The position on French Pond is worth confirming on the day.