Merrimack River Fishing Map & Spots (MA/NH)

Target species

Species estimated for the region. No fish-species record is published for this water, so these species aren't a confirmed catch list. They're an informed estimate: the species this region's waters commonly hold, narrowed to this one by its depth, size and each species' range. Treat them as what's plausibly present, not as a survey of this water. How we estimate species →

Hatch outlook

Blue-Winged OlivesActive window

Typical here: Apr 1 – Nov 15 · multiple broods, strongest spring and fall; tailwaters like the Farmington carry olives essentially year-round

dunmidday into afternoon — the gray, drizzly days produce the real hatches

The bad-weather insurance hatch: the days that look wrong are the BWO days.

Overcast olive days keep trout feeding all day instead of one window: micro-spoons, small dark inline spinners and 1/32 oz jigs through the seams right through the gloom. The tiny fall olives are past what hardware matches — go bubble-and-olive-wet or fish the jig.

The event happens over riffles, seams and flats throughout the river

Terrestrials (ants, beetles, hoppers)Active window

Typical here: Jun 1 – Oct 31 · ants and beetles from June; hoppers and crickets strongest mid-July through September

adultmidday and afternoon — the hotter and windier, the better the bank bite

No hatch clock — wind is the conveyor; the fish move to the grassy banks and stay there all summer.

Summer's bank bite is spin-friendly: small poppers, micro spinnerbaits and inline spinners upstream tight to grassy undercut banks on breezy afternoons. The bubble-and-foam-beetle rig is deadly and nobody fishes it.

The event happens over grassy, brushy banks and the seams just off them, on warm windy afternoons

October Caddis (Great Autumn Brown Sedge)Active window

Typical here: Aug 15 – Nov 15 · peak late September into October — the biggest caddis of the New England fall

pupalate afternoon into dark — many pupae drift long distances before slowing in shallow water; emergence proper is by crawling out on shore at dusk or night — fish the drift and the shoreline margins, not mid-river rises
ovipositingdusk and after dark — females twitch and flop on the surface laying eggs — skate the dry; some crawl UNDERWATER from shoreline objects to lay, so a wet swung along the bank works too

Never a blanket hatch — a big, sparse bug the fish know; its value is prospecting weight in a thin-hatch season.

Fall fish on big sparse bugs are ambush-minded: small orange and brown crankbaits and inline spinners along wood and slow bank water in the last light. It's also landlocked-salmon-run season on many of these rivers — the same dusk water holds them.

The event happens over slow water with wood — banks, deadfalls and eddies, in the evening

PRO Stage timing, the bite read and tactics are part of Pro.

Next on this water

Quill Gordon · mayflyApr 1 – May 30 · in ~7 months

Hendrickson · mayflyApr 1 – Jun 30 · in ~7 months

March Brown · mayflyMay 1 – Jul 31 · in ~8 months

Sulphurs · mayflyMay 15 – Jul 31 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours here are interpolated from real agency depth surveys (state DNR / USACE). Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

Loading depth chart…

Recent catches at Merrimack River

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Merrimack River on the board.

Fishing Merrimack River: what the data says

7 km of the Merrimack River navigation corridor, with channel depths from USACE hydrographic survey. The river tops out around 61 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.

Traced from the shoreline, Merrimack River runs 1,617 acres with 8.7 miles of edge. Index 1.5 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. About 68% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 3.6 mi end to end and 1 mi across at its widest. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Upper Artichoke Reservoir, 5 mi west of here.

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Merrimack River

In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 20 to 45 ft for winter. Summer smallmouth bass concentrate at Channel current seam (mile 2.0), a prime-rated current seam around 14 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	8 to 25 ft	midday & dawn	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	20 to 45 ft	midday	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Rainbow Trout fishing at Merrimack River

Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Channel current seam (mile 2.0), a current seam in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	8 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	8 to 40 ft	dawn	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Brown Trout fishing at Merrimack River

Spring brown trout on Merrimack River hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 25 to 60 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is Channel current seam (mile 2.0) — current seam, 14 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in after dark and early morning. The summer box starts with a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night).

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines
Summer	25 to 60 ft	night & dawn	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night)
Fall	5 to 30 ft	dusk & dawn	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon
Winter	5 to 35 ft	dawn	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow)

Crappie fishing at Merrimack River

In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 25 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. Fall crappie concentrate at Main-channel hole (mile 0.2), a prime-rated creek channel around 15 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	open water	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	10 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) (15 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	8 to 20 ft	dawn	Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) (15 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday	Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) (15 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Pumpkinseed fishing at Merrimack River

Come spring, look for pumpkinseed tight to the bank in 1 to 8 ft. They move out to 2 to 10 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 18 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Channel current seam (mile 2.0): a current seam around 14 ft that scores good in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 8 ft	midday & dusk	open water	Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin
Summer	2 to 10 ft	dusk & dawn	open water	Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly)
Fall	4 to 14 ft	dusk & dawn	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped
Winter	6 to 18 ft	dawn	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon

Chain Pickerel fishing at Merrimack River

Spring chain pickerel on Merrimack River hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 3 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 18 ft. Put Channel current seam (mile 2.0) first on the milk run — a current seam near 14 ft that grades good for fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	midday & dawn	open water	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white)
Summer	3 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait
Fall	4 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait
Winter	5 to 18 ft	dawn	Channel current seam (mile 2.0) (14 ft)	Jigging spoon (through ice)

Merrimack River also holds largemouth bass (8 to 20 ft in summer), yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), white perch (15 to 40 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.

Notable structure

Structure-wise the chart holds 2 features, led in depth by Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) at roughly 15 ft.

Main-channel hole (mile 0.2): creek channel, around 15 ft
Channel current seam (mile 2.0): current seam, around 14 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Black Rock Creek (Salisbury) — ramp (paved)
Merrimack River (Joppa Flats) (Newburyport) — ramp (paved)

Access data: Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife — Public Water Access. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

Merrimack River stocking report

Date	Species	Count	Size
May 29	Brown Trout	600	—
Apr 24	Brown Trout	900	—

Source: NH Fish & Game stocking report, retrieved 2026-08-18.

Merrimack River fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Massachusetts waters are set by the MassWildlife — and special regulations can apply to Merrimack River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Massachusetts fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Merrimack River?

Merrimack River is about 61 ft (19 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.

What fish are in Merrimack River?

Anglers target smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, brown trout, crappie, pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, yellow perch, brown bullhead, bluegill, white perch on Merrimack River. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.

Where is the best fishing spot on Merrimack River?

Channel current seam (mile 2.0) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.

When is the best time to fish Merrimack River?

For smallmouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

Is Merrimack River stocked with fish?

Yes — per NH Fish & Game stocking report records, Merrimack River was most recently stocked May 29 with 600 brown trout. The full stocking history is listed above.

What are the fishing regulations for Merrimack River?

Fishing on Merrimack River is regulated by the MassWildlife. Check the official Massachusetts regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Upper Artichoke Reservoir 5 mi, MA · Hampton Harbor 6 mi, NH · Plum Island Sound 6 mi, MA · Lake Attitash 8 mi, MA · Pentucket Pond Outlet Reservoir 10 mi, MA · Rock Pond 10 mi, MA · Baldpate Pond 12 mi, MA · Lake Saltonstall 12 mi, MA · Powwow Pond 12 mi, NH · Lake Pentucket 12 mi, MA · EEL POND 12 mi, NH · Country Pond 12 mi, NH

See how Merrimack River stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Massachusetts · best smallmouth bass lakes in Massachusetts · best crappie lakes in Massachusetts · best bluegill lakes in Massachusetts

Browse all Massachusetts fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.