Hell Gate Pond in Coos County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Hell Gate Pond is a Coos County water, in New Hampshire. What surrounds it is mixed forest. At roughly 2 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Most waters listed here for Coos County are larger. Nearest place of any size is Colebrook, 19 miles away. The big place round here is Sherbrooke, 48 miles distant. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Hell Gate Pond

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across Coos County include rainbow trout, brown trout, rainbow smelt and Atlantic salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Hell Gate Pond gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 63°F at the top of summer and 11°F at the bottom of winter. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. At Hell Gate Pond the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Second College Grant runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Lamb Valley Pond, 0.7 miles away. Treat access at Hell Gate Pond as something to verify.