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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
45-acre reservoir near Dummer. NH GRANIT / NH Fish & Game survey water. The lake tops out around 15 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
On the chart, Pontook Reservoir draws 45 acres inside 1.1 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.2 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. The basin spans about 0.4 mi end to end and 0.3 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Coos County. For a second option, Cedar Pond lies 3 mi south.
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. 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.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 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 5 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 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.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (13 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (13 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 4 to 15 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 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.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (4 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 5 to 15 ft. Spring bluegill concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 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.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Spring puts brown bullhead in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 12 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Winter brown bullhead concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 13 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Deep basin (13 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) |
In spring, landlocked salmon run shallow here, mostly 1 to 15 ft. Summer keeps them at 5 to 15 ft, and they winter in 4 to 15 ft. Summer landlocked salmon concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 13 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a dodger + streamer down deep or a thin spoon on lead core most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Streamer flies (Grey Ghost) off boards, Thin spoon (Mooselook style) |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (13 ft) | Dodger + streamer down deep, Thin spoon on lead core |
| Fall | 3 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Casting spoon at the mouths, Streamers |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (13 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Swedish pimple + smelt |
Pontook Reservoir also holds smallmouth bass (5 to 15 ft in summer), brook trout (5 to 15 ft in summer), rainbow trout (4 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Pontook Reservoir carries 5 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 13 ft down.
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 Pontook Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Hampshire fishing regulations →
Pontook Reservoir is about 15 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target largemouth bass, yellow perch, chain pickerel, bluegill, brown bullhead, landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass, brook trout, rainbow trout on Pontook Reservoir.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Pontook Reservoir 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.
Cedar Pond 3 mi · DUMMER POND, LITTLE 4 mi · Dummer Pond, Big 4 mi · Nay Pond 5 mi · PIKE POND 5 mi · Androscoggin River 5 mi · SESSIONS POND 5 mi · South Ponds 6 mi · Munn Pond 7 mi · Christine Lake 8 mi · Trio Ponds, 1 And 2 8 mi · Little Bog Pond 8 mi
See how Pontook Reservoir stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New Hampshire · best smallmouth bass lakes in New Hampshire · best bluegill lakes in New Hampshire · best rainbow trout lakes in New Hampshire
More water nearby: Coos County fishing maps (40 charts). Browse all New Hampshire fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.