Fishing at Palmer Pond, Merrimack County, New Hampshire

• Overview

  Palmer Pond belongs to Merrimack County, New Hampshire. The bank is 846 feet above sea level. The water covers some 27 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The closest town, Sutton, is 3.3 miles away. The nearest city of size is Manchester, 32 miles away. Other water within reach: 2.9 miles out stands Gile Pond, Duck Pond 3.4 miles away, 4 miles out stands Kezar Lake, Billings Pond 4 miles away and 4.3 miles out stands Tucker Pond. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Palmer Pond

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, brown trout and rainbow smelt. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Work Palmer Pond in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 20°F in January to roughly 68°F in July. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. Break-up near early April, freeze-up near mid December: that is the shape of an average year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Palmer Pond fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Gile Pond at 2.9 miles is the nearest alternative. The position on Palmer Pond is worth confirming on the day.