Turkey Pond, New Hampshire: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Turkey Pond sits in Merrimack County, out in New Hampshire. Elevation runs to 318 feet. The water covers some 168 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Few waters listed in Merrimack County are bigger. Supplies mean a trip to Concord, 3.2 miles off. Manchester sits 14 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Turkey Pond

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Merrimack County cover rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, brown trout and rainbow smelt. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Take Turkey Pond a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 69°F and January reads 20°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early April. The season between ice runs from about early April to mid December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. It holds true on Turkey Pond more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. There is a mapped landing stage half a mile away. The water borders Silk Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, so reserve rules are likely to apply. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Little Turkey Pond is 1.1 miles distant. Where Turkey Pond is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.