Manning Lake in Belknap County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Belknap County end of New Hampshire holds Manning Lake. It sits 39 miles in from the sea. The water covers some 199 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The whole outline is near 2.9 miles, and most of it is walkable. The closest town, Gilmanton, is 5.3 miles away. Manchester is the closest city, 34 miles away. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Manning Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Belknap County include rainbow trout, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Read Manning Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 68°F and January about 18°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early April. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly mid December. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. It holds true on Manning Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is a launch about half a mile from the bank. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Gillan Pond sits 1.1 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Manning Lake in what we hold.