Fishing at Lake Winnisquam, Belknap County, New Hampshire

• Overview

  Lake Winnisquam is one of the Belknap County waters in New Hampshire. Land around it is rolling bush. At roughly 6.6 sq miles it ranks among the larger waters in the region. The outline measures near 26 miles, so a boat opens up water the bank never reaches. Size puts it in the front rank of our Belknap County list. Laconia is the closest place, 1.8 miles off. The nearest city of size is Manchester, 38 miles away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lake Winnisquam

  Depth is on record at 155 ft. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Survey and observation records for Belknap County include rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and brown trout. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Lake Winnisquam gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 68°F and January near 18°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. Ice clears near early April and comes back about mid December in a typical year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. At Lake Winnisquam the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The ground here is public, which usually keeps access simple. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Opechee Bay, 1.6 miles out. For Lake Winnisquam, the notice at the access point is the final word.