Long Pond in Merrimack County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In New Hampshire, Long Pond belongs to Merrimack County. Height above sea level is 650 feet. It measures about 64 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Around 1.1 miles of margin, front to back. Goffstown is the closest place, 4.1 miles off. Bow Bog lies 5.2 miles off, Weare another 6.8 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Long Pond

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Merrimack County records list rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, brown trout and rainbow smelt among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Long Pond that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 69°F and January near 21°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid usually goes in early April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly mid December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Long Pond fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A boat ramp sits about half a mile from the water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Kimball Pond, 1.1 miles out. The position on Long Pond is worth confirming on the day.