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602-acre lake near New London. NH GRANIT / NH Fish & Game survey water. The lake tops out around 90 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Traced from the shoreline, Pleasant Lake runs 602 acres with 3.9 miles of edge. At index 1.1 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. 14% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 1.6 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.7 mi at the beam. The water lies in Merrimack County. The nearest mapped water is Messer Pond, 3 mi to the southwest.
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (57 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a feeding flat around 9 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (25 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (90 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (25 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for chain pickerel tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 3 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 18 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a feeding flat holding about 9 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Spring puts bluegill in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 10 to 25 ft. Summer bluegill concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 9 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Shallow feeding flat (25 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 20 to 45 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 8 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (57 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts white perch in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 40 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 50 ft. Shallow feeding flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 25 ft, rated prime for summer white perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 15 to 40 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (25 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 15 to 45 ft | midday | Shallow feeding flat (25 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | dusk | Shallow feeding flat (25 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
Pleasant Lake also holds brook trout (10 to 30 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), landlocked salmon (25 to 60 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 7 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 90 ft.
Access data: New Hampshire Fish & Game — Public Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New Hampshire waters are set by the New Hampshire Fish and Game — and special regulations can apply to Pleasant Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Hampshire fishing regulations →
Pleasant Lake is about 90 ft (27 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target largemouth bass, yellow perch, chain pickerel, bluegill, smallmouth bass, white perch, brook trout, brown bullhead, landlocked salmon, rock bass on Pleasant Lake.
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For largemouth 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.
Fishing on Pleasant Lake is regulated by the New Hampshire Fish and Game. Check the official New Hampshire regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Messer Pond 3 mi · Sunapee Lake, Little 3 mi · DUTCHMAN POND 4 mi · Kezar Lake 4 mi · WHITE POND 4 mi · Piper Pond 5 mi · MORGAN POND 5 mi · GILE POND 5 mi · Otter Pond 5 mi · CHALK POND (MERRIMACK) 6 mi · Lake Sunapee 6 mi · Bradley Lake 6 mi
See how Pleasant Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New Hampshire · best smallmouth bass lakes in New Hampshire · best bluegill lakes in New Hampshire · best yellow perch lakes in New Hampshire
More water nearby: Merrimack County fishing maps (62 charts). Browse all New Hampshire 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.