Loon Pond near Gilmanton: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Set in Belknap County, Loon Pond is a New Hampshire water. It stands 906 feet above sea level. Around 131 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. There is roughly 1.7 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. For supplies, Gilmanton is 2.5 miles out. The big place round here is Manchester, 28 miles distant. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Loon Pond

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Belknap County list rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and brown trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Loon Pond gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 68°F, while January sits near 19°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at mid December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. It sets the rhythm of the year at Loon Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Meetinghouse Pond sits 1.5 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Loon Pond before loading the car.