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470-acre lake near New London. NH GRANIT / NH Fish & Game survey water. The lake tops out around 40 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
On the chart, Sunapee Lake, Little draws 470 acres inside 3.6 miles of shoreline. At index 1.2 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 59% of this chart. Call it 1.5 mi long by 0.6 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Merrimack County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: DUTCHMAN POND, 1 mi north of here.
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 Deep basin, a deep basin in about 40 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. 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 | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (40 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 12 to 40 ft for winter. Winter smallmouth bass concentrate at Deep basin, a good-rated deep basin around 40 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 | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (40 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 10 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (40 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: brown bullhead sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 12 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Back-bay flat, a weed flat in the 5 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (40 ft) |
Spring chain pickerel on Sunapee Lake, Little 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 Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 10 ft that grades prime for spring. 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 | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 4 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 40 ft.
Access data: New Hampshire Fish & Game — Public Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 11 | Rainbow Trout | 500 | — |
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 Sunapee Lake, Little specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Hampshire fishing regulations →
Sunapee Lake, Little is about 40 ft (12 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 rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, brown bullhead, chain pickerel on Sunapee Lake, Little.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For rainbow trout, 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, Sunapee Lake, Little was most recently stocked May 11 with 500 rainbow trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Sunapee Lake, Little 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.
DUTCHMAN POND 1 mi · Otter Pond 2 mi · Messer Pond 2 mi · MORGAN POND 3 mi · Pleasant Lake 3 mi · Ledge Pond 4 mi · Lake Sunapee 4 mi · Piper Pond 5 mi · Perkins Pond 5 mi · Coniston Lake 5 mi · WHITE POND 6 mi · CHALK POND (MERRIMACK) 6 mi
See how Sunapee Lake, Little stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New Hampshire · best smallmouth bass lakes in New Hampshire · best rainbow trout lakes in New Hampshire · best chain pickerel 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.