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38-acre pond near Gilford. NH GRANIT / NH Fish & Game survey water. The lake tops out around 30 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The drawn water covers 38 acres wrapped in 0.9 miles of bank. A shoreline index of 1.1 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. About 50% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 0.4 mi long by 0.3 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Belknap County. If the bite dies, Opechee Lake is 3 mi to the northwest.
Spring largemouth bass on Saltmarsh Pond hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 9 to 30 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 8 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 9 to 30 ft for winter. Spring yellow perch concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 8 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts chain pickerel in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 18 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for spring chain pickerel. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Early season bluegill use the shallows, holding in 1 to 6 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 25 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 8 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 9 to 30 ft one. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 9 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for white perch tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 9 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 9 to 30 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 30 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning. A small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
Saltmarsh Pond also holds brook trout (10 to 30 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
5 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 30 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: New Hampshire Fish & Game — Public Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 12 | Rainbow Trout | 200 | — |
| May 1 | Brook Trout | 1,810 | — |
Source: NH Fish & Game stocking report, retrieved 2026-08-18.
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 Saltmarsh Pond specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Hampshire fishing regulations →
Saltmarsh Pond is about 30 ft (9 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, rock bass, brown bullhead, pumpkinseed on Saltmarsh Pond.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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.
Yes — per NH Fish & Game stocking report records, Saltmarsh Pond was most recently stocked May 12 with 200 rainbow trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Saltmarsh Pond 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.
Opechee Lake 3 mi · Ephraim Cove 4 mi · Lake Winnisquam 5 mi · Manning Lake 5 mi · Sargent Lake 6 mi · Round Pond 6 mi · Lake Winnipesaukee 7 mi · Hills Pond 7 mi · Sunset Lake 7 mi · HUNKINS POND 7 mi · POUT POND 7 mi · Silver Lake 7 mi
See how Saltmarsh Pond 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: Belknap County fishing maps (43 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.