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Best lake trout lakes in New Hampshire

20 New Hampshire waters hold lake trout, 20 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. Deep, cold and long-lived. Below 50°F water year-round — shallow at ice-out and on fall spawning reefs.

1. Lake Winnipesaukee — 180 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
2. Squam Lake — 95 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
3. Lake Winnisquam — 140 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
4. Lake Sunapee — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
5. Newfound Lake — 180 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
6. First Connecticut Lake — 160 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Landlocked Salmon
7. Lake Francis — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Landlocked Salmon
8. Ossipee Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow Trout
9. Merrymeeting Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
10. Nubanusit Lake — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch
11. Silver Lake — 160 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch
12. Great East Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
13. Tarleton Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch
14. Dan Hole Pond — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch
15. Stinson Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch
16. Granite Lake — 110 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch
17. Spoonwood Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch
18. Greenough Pond — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch
19. Diamond Pond — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch
20. Third Connecticut Lake — 110 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch

When to fish lake trout in New Hampshire

• Spring 10–40 ft — The brief shallow window: post-ice-out lakers roam rock shoals and points where anyone can reach them.
• Summer 50–120 ft — Below the thermocline in sub-50°F water — deep humps and basin edges near bait (smelt, cisco, alewife).
• Fall 10–50 ft — Turnover puts lakers on shallow rock reefs to spawn — big fish shallow, best late in the day.
• Winter 20–80 ft — One of the best ice targets — cold water is their comfort zone; they roam basin edges and humps all winter.

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 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 · best brown bullhead lakes

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