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Best landlocked salmon lakes in New Hampshire

21 New Hampshire waters hold landlocked salmon, 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. Lake-dwelling Atlantic salmon that lives and dies by the smelt run. Ice-out surface fishing at its finest.

1. Lake Winnipesaukee — 180 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 37 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
2. Squam Lake — 95 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Umbagog Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
4. Lake Sunapee — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
5. Lake Winnisquam — 140 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Newfound Lake — 180 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
7. First Connecticut Lake — 160 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Landlocked SalmonWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
8. Lake Francis — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Landlocked SalmonWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
9. Merrymeeting Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
10. Ossipee Lake — 61 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Conway Lake — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
12. Pleasant Lake — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
13. Squam Lake, Little — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Broad Bay — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
15. Nubanusit Lake — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Back Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
17. Dan Hole Pond — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Leavitt Bay — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
19. Berry Bay — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
20. Pontook Reservoir — 15 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, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
21. Connecticut River — 6 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site

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When to fish landlocked salmon in New Hampshire

• Spring 1–15 ft — The legendary ice-out bite: salmon follow spawning smelt to tributary mouths and windblown shorelines, right on the surface.
• Summer 25–60 ft — Salmon hold just above the thermocline with the smelt schools — depth control decides the day.
• Fall 5–30 ft — Turnover scatters bait and salmon shallow; spawners stage off tributary mouths, hot-tempered and territorial.
• Winter 10–40 ft — Where winter seasons allow, salmon cruise for smelt under the ice — sewn bait near a drop is the classic set.

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 chain pickerel lakes · best burbot lakes · best rock bass lakes · best white perch lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes

Landlocked Salmon elsewhere: Ontario · Sweden · Québec · Finland · Maine · New York · New Brunswick · Connecticut · Vermont