South Ponds in Coos County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Coos County entry here is South Ponds, in New Hampshire. Height above sea level is 1,122 feet. Around 132 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. There is roughly 2.4 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. On our Coos County list it sits near the top for size. Nearest place of any size is Groveton, 7.3 miles away. Beyond it, Milan at 8.8 miles and Northumberland at 9.9 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on South Ponds

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Coos County cover rainbow trout, brown trout and rainbow smelt. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Anyone new to South Ponds should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 65°F and January near 13°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and early December closes it again. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That shapes the year on South Ponds.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A boat ramp sits about half a mile from the water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Pike Pond sits 2.5 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for South Ponds in what we hold.