Penacook Lake Fishing Guide, Merrimack County, New Hampshire

• Overview

  Penacook Lake lies in Merrimack County, in New Hampshire. Height above sea level is 400 feet. At some 362 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. You are looking at roughly 5.1 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. It is among the larger waters listed here for Merrimack County. You are 2.8 miles from East Concord. Concord is 3 miles away, with Hopkinton at 5 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Penacook Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Species logged across Merrimack County include rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and brown trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The shape of Penacook Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 69°F and January at 20°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. From about early April to around mid December, expect open water on the long-run figures. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It holds true on Penacook Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Abbott State Forest takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Little Pond sits 1 mile off and takes the overflow. Check the current arrangement for Penacook Lake.