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Best brown bullhead lakes in New Hampshire

390 New Hampshire waters hold brown bullhead, 388 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Night-feeding catfish of weedy, mud-bottomed lakes — the classic after-dark shoreline bite across the east and Canada.

1. Horseshoe Pond — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
2. Lake Winnipesaukee — 180 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 37 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Squam Lake — 95 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Umbagog Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
5. Moore Reservoir — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
6. Ephraim Cove — 140 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
7. Lake Sunapee — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
8. Lake Winnisquam — 140 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Newfound Lake — 180 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
10. Massabesic Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
11. Mascoma Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
12. Highland Lake — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
13. Merrymeeting Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
14. Lake Wentworth — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
15. Pine River Pond — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Ossipee Lake — 61 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Bow Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
18. Balch Pond — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Yellow Perch, Chain PickerelWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
19. Monomonac Lake — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Waukewan Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
21. Pawtuckaway Lake — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
22. Piscataquag River — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Silver Lake — 160 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
24. Conway Lake — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
25. Swains Lake — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 365 more New Hampshire waters holding brown bullhead.

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When to fish brown bullhead in New Hampshire

• Spring 2–8 ft — First warm rains pull bullheads into black-bottomed bays and creek mouths — the classic spring shore bite.
• Summer 3–12 ft — Day fish hold on deeper mud and weed edges; after dark they spread across the shallows to feed by smell.
• Fall 5–15 ft — Fish slide toward deeper soft bottoms as the shallows cool — the evening bite shortens with the days.
• Winter 10–25 ft — Bullheads pod up half-dormant in the deepest mud basins; a long soak with bait on bottom is the lone play.

Also in New Hampshire: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best landlocked salmon lakes · best chain pickerel lakes · best burbot lakes · best rock bass lakes · best white perch lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes

Brown Bullhead elsewhere: Ontario · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · Maine · New York · Massachusetts · Connecticut · Nebraska · Vermont · California · South Dakota · Nova Scotia · New Jersey