Squamscott River Fishing Map & Spots (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 Squamscott 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 Squamscott River on the board.

Fishing Squamscott River: what the data says

5 km of the Squamscott River navigation corridor, with channel depths from USACE hydrographic survey. The river tops out around 19 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:

Squamscott River maps at 2,153 acres behind 9.9 miles of shoreline. With a 1.5 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Tip to tip the water measures near 3.7 mi with a 1.4-mi widest point. Its nearest charted neighbour, EXETER RESERVOIR, is 4 mi to the south.

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Squamscott River

Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 19 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 19 ft. Start at Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2). It's a creek channel holding about 13 ft of water and rates good come winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	6 to 19 ft	dawn & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (13 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	6 to 19 ft	midday & dawn	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (13 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	6 to 19 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (13 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Rainbow Trout fishing at Squamscott River

Early season rainbow trout use the shallows, holding in 5 to 19 ft. Even in summer they hold at 5 to 19 ft; winter keeps them in 4 to 19 ft. The chart's best answer is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) — creek channel, 13 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 19 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	5 to 19 ft	dawn & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (13 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	5 to 19 ft	dawn & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (13 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	4 to 19 ft	dawn	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (13 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Brown Trout fishing at Squamscott River

Spring puts brown trout in skinny water — 2 to 19 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 6 to 19 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 19 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and early morning. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 19 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines
Summer	6 to 19 ft	night & dawn	open water	Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night)
Fall	3 to 19 ft	dusk & dawn	open water	Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon
Winter	3 to 19 ft	dawn	open water	Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow)

Crappie fishing at Squamscott River

Come spring, look for crappie tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 19 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 19 ft. Start at Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2). It's a creek channel holding about 13 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Outside-bend hole (mile 2.2) (7 ft)	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	6 to 19 ft	dawn & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (13 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	6 to 19 ft	dawn	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (13 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	6 to 19 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (13 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Pumpkinseed fishing at Squamscott River

The spring pattern is a shallow one: pumpkinseed in 1 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 10 ft before dropping to 6 to 18 ft for winter. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) gets it done.

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	open water	Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped
Winter	6 to 18 ft	dawn	open water	Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon

Chain Pickerel fishing at Squamscott River

The spring pattern is a shallow one: chain pickerel in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 15 ft, wintering in 5 to 18 ft. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait gets it done.

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	open water	Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait
Fall	4 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	open water	Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait
Winter	5 to 18 ft	dawn	open water	Jigging spoon (through ice)

Squamscott River also holds largemouth bass (6 to 19 ft in summer), yellow perch (6 to 19 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), white perch (6 to 19 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.

Notable structure

Count 2 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2), sits near 13 ft.

Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2): creek channel, around 13 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 2.2): creek channel, around 7 ft

Squamscott River fishing regulations

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 Squamscott River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official New Hampshire fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Squamscott River?

Squamscott River is about 19 ft (6 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 Squamscott River?

Anglers target smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, brown trout, crappie, pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, yellow perch, brown bullhead, bluegill, white perch on Squamscott 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 Squamscott River?

Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.

When is the best time to fish Squamscott 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.

What are the fishing regulations for Squamscott River?

Fishing on Squamscott River 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.

Nearby waters

EXETER RESERVOIR 4 mi · Wheelwright Pond 8 mi · EEL POND 9 mi · Bellamy River 9 mi · Piscataqua River 10 mi · Greenwood Pond 10 mi · Little Harbor 10 mi · BARBADOES POND 10 mi · Powwow Pond 10 mi · Bellamy Reservoir 10 mi · Portsmouth Harbor 11 mi, NH/ME · Great Pond 11 mi

See how Squamscott River stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New Hampshire · best smallmouth bass lakes in New Hampshire · best crappie lakes in New Hampshire · best bluegill lakes in New Hampshire

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.