Hothole Pond Fishing in Merrimack County, New Hampshire

• Overview

  Hothole Pond falls in Merrimack County, part of New Hampshire. This is rolling bush ground. Roughly 27 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. East Concord sits 3.4 miles from here and is the nearest stop. The big place round here is Manchester, 21 miles distant. Others close at hand: Hoit Road Marsh at 0.9 miles, 1.6 miles away is Snow Pond, Turtle Pond at 2.2 miles, 2.7 miles away is Clough Pond and Spender Pond at 3 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Hothole Pond

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Merrimack County include rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, brown trout and rainbow smelt. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Fish Hothole Pond to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 69°F in July and bottoms out near 20°F in January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early April. Ice usually gives way near early April, and forms again about mid December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Hothole Pond runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. A ramp is mapped within half a mile. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. Part of this sits inside or beside Knowlton Forest, so read the notices. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Hoit Road Marsh at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for Hothole Pond in what we hold.