Pickerel Pond near Orford: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  New Hampshire holds Pickerel Pond, in Grafton County. The bank gives way to rolling bush. Small at around 7 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Grafton County. Orford is the closest town at 7 miles. Lyme follows at 8.3 miles, then Rumney at 11 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Pickerel Pond

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across Grafton County: rainbow trout, brook trout, smallmouth bass and brown trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Pickerel Pond that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 16°F to 66°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around early December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Pickerel Pond runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. The water borders Appalachian National Scenic Trail, so expect the reserve rules to apply. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Brackett Pond, 1.2 miles away. Rules at Pickerel Pond are worth checking on the day.