New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
WHY FISH NH?
Take Me Fishing!
Just step outside to find scenic fishing here in wild
New Hampshire – we’ve got great fishing around
every corner:
™
u 12,000 miles of river and streams.
Seacoast
u 975 lakes and ponds.
u Fishing for bass, trout, salmon, pike, walleye, pickerel,
perch and more…
u Record big fish – and some wily wild fish too!
u Scenic vistas and wildlife abound.
u Nearly a million trout stocked each year – just for you!
Learn more about coastal
fishing in New Hampshire at
© RICHARD GUNION / DREAMSTIME.COM
© SCULPIES / DREAMSTIME.COM
fishnh.com/marine
Shoreline Fishing Guide
New Hampshire Fish and Game
Connecting you to life outdoors™
NEW HAMPSHIRE FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT
11 Hazen Drive l Concord, NH 03301 l (603) 271-2501
Your purchase of fishing tackle and motorboat fuels, along with license
sales, helps fund sport fish restoration and management in New Hampshire
fishnh.com/marine
Salty and Sweet!
9
4
16
Want to experience sport fishing at its finest? Fish coastal
New Hampshire, where the cold blue Atlantic Ocean meets the
rocky shoreline, and the “big ones” are just waiting for a bite.
All persons age 16 and older recreationaly fishing in
coastal and estuarine waters of the state must purchase a N.H.
Saltwater Recreational Fishing License.
MADBURY
155A
152
Hampton/Seabrook
l
Rye/New Castle
l
Piscataqua River
l
Great Bay Estuary and Tributaries
Ri
4
ve r
1
GREENLAND
NEWFIELDS
95
STRATHAM
EXETER
RYE
NORTH
HAMPTON
1A
111
HAMPTON
FALLS
SOUTH
HAMPTON
1B
PORTSMOUTH
33
87
108
95
16
GREAT NEWINGTON
BAY
NEWMARKET
101
l
4
DURHAM108
Look inside for some coastal N.H. places to try
shoreline fishing, plus tips for success.
MAINE
155
125
Piscataqua
Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) have become one of the
greatest success stories for marine fisheries management in
recent years, and they are by far the most sought after saltwater fish in New Hampshire coastal waters. But stripers aren’t
the only game in town – cast a line and see if you can bring
home a bluefish, flounder or mackerel.
DOVER
9
HAMPTON
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
107
SEABROOK
286
Use Circle Hooks
To conserve fisheries, many sport anglers now release the fish they catch.
Using circle hooks instead of standard
J-hooks can significantly reduce mortality. Experienced striped bass anglers
find that baited circle hooks, because the point is turned inward, almost
always hook fish in the lip or jaw. Points on J-hooks, in contrast, are more
exposed and can lodge in the gills, throat or stomach – internal organs where
injuries can be fatal.
Because of its design, you don’t need to “set” a circle hook as you would
a J-hook; simply let the fish “take” the bait and then start reeling to get a
hook-up. Many longtime anglers believe they actually catch more fish with
circle hooks than J-hooks, once they’ve learned to use them properly.
circle hook
standard “J” hook
For tide charts and catch restrictions, check the N.H. Saltwater Fishing Digest at fishnh.com/marine .
Fish of the
Atlantic Ocean
Bluefish
Baits to Use
Striped Bass
Use this handy guide to choose
the best baits and to see what kind
of fish you’ve caught.
Fish Identification Chart
Natural Baits
(herring, Atlantic mackerel, shrimp)
Clams
Atlantic Cod
Cutbait
Atlantic Mackerel
Clamworms
Live fish
Pollock
Artificial Baits
Haddock
(eels, Atlantic mackerel,
pollock, Atlantic menhaden)
Poppers
Cusk
Bucktail jigs
Winter Flounder
Swimbaits
Diamond jigs
Trolling tubes
Match Your Bait to Your Catch
Fish Illustrations by Victor Young / Courtesy of the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game
World Record Atlantic cod is 98 lbs. 12 oz., caught in N.H.!
Striped bass feed nocturnally, so try fishing the beaches at night
Hampton/ Seabrook
NORTH HAMPTON
Ro
ad
No. Hampton
State Beach
d
1A
W
o
an
3
dl
101
North
Beach
101E
1
1A
HAMPTON
FA L L S
Great
Boars Head
101
Hampton
er
v
Hampton Beach
State Park
HAMPTON
HARBOR
Beckmans Point
Knowles I.
1A
SEABROOK
rR
© NHFG / VICTOR YOUNG PHOTO
286
When fishing from a jetty, avoid black rocks; they are covered in slippery algae
iver
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
1
Commons I.
e
wat
Black
3. North Hampton State Beach — On Route
1A in North Hampton, this beach produces some
of the largest striped bass caught from shore each
year in New Hampshire. Fishing occurs almost
exclusively in the evening and into early morning.
With the use of a surfcaster, try casting a chunk
of mackerel or herring just beyond the breaking
surf with a fairly heavy sinker tied below the
bait. Waves will pick the bait up with each swell,
enticing the fish. Fishing action can be heavy
when striped bass push schools of baitfish into
the shallow surf for a feed.
o
Little Boars
Head
27
Ri
2. Blackwater River — On Route 286 in
Seabrook, this tidal river is a great place to land
schoolies (young striped bass) and the occasional
keeper. Be sure to check the tide; the river is only
fishable at mid to high tide. There is easy access
from the bridge; work your way out along the
marsh for better fishing. Try fly fishing or using
smaller lures.
HAMPTON
Road
1. Seabrook Beach/Hampton Beach State
Park — Along Route 1A on either side of the
bridge between Hampton and Seabrook. Hampton
Beach State Park provides ample parking (fee
required) or park along Route 1A on the Seabrook
side. Anglers target striped bass, bluefish and
winter flounder in the inlet to Hampton Harbor
from the beach or the jetty.
1
27
Mill
Surf fishing is great along New Hampshire’s sandy
beaches and rocky coastline. Try one of these popular
spots along Route 1A, just north of the Mass. border.
111
Seabrook
Beach
2
MA
Fishing from a rock
jetty, like the one
at Hampton Beach
State Park, allows an
angler to extend his
reach another several
yards into the ocean.
The N.H. record striped bass is 51 inches and 60 lbs.
Rye/New Castle
Pest I.
2
Lady I.
1A
The narrow winding roads from North Hampton to New
Castle provide great scenery and ample surf-fishing access.
The beaches on Route 1A north of Hampton can be difficult to
fish when there are crowds of beachgoers, but try any of the
rocky outcroppings between North Hampton State Beach and
Wallis Sands (indicated in red). Time your trip with low tide so
you can move further out onto the rocks. Be flexible; let diving
birds and breaking schools of baitfish tell you where to stop
and cast your line.
33
PORTSMOUTH
1
amo
Roa
LITTLE
HARBOR
re
d
Odiorne
Point
Road
et t
Brack
1A
re
Sagam
o
Road
lis
al
on
Concord Point
d
as
hin
gt
Roa
Brac
ke
tt
RYE
Wallis
Sands
R o ad
B
k
ro o
rys
W
Ber
2. Great Island Common — From Route 1A in Rye, take
Route 1B near Sagamore Creek toward New Castle. The
park entrance is just past the town library. There is ample
parking. The best fishing is off the concrete jetty and rocks
at the far end of the park. Right at the mouth of Portsmouth Harbor, this is a great spot to catch a variety of fish,
including Atlantic mackerel, striped bass and pollock.
W
Rye North Beach
d
RYE HARBOR
STATE PARK
Roa
Locke
Rd
.
Cen
tra
l
1A
Rye
Harbor
Foss
Beach
Ragged Neck
Point
1
B ailey
d
Lockes
Neck
Roa
Jenness
Beach
ok
Bro
Eel
Pond
ra l
Rye Beach
Ce
nt
Bridge pilings provide great hiding places for predatory fish
1B
Road
Elw y n
1. Rye Harbor State Park — In Rye, between Jenness
State Beach and Wallis Sands Beach. Fishing from the
jetties on either side gives you great access to winter
flounder as well as schoolie stripers. Try fishing early
morning incoming tides, when the currents bring bait into
the harbor through the bottleneck created by the jetties.
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
Fox Hill
Point
© NHFG / VICTOR YOUNG PHOTO
The Goat Island
Bridge is the
gateway from
Portsmouth to
New Castle and a
popular spot for
targeting striped
bass from shore.
Peak fishing
from bridges
is often during
the nighttime
hours; which side
depends on the
tide’s direction.
Common
NEW
CASTLE
Cre
ek
S ag
Great Island
Leachs I.
HAMPTON
1A
Little Boars
Head
North Hampton
State Beach
Winter flounder are close to shore in the spring and early summer
Piscataqua River
2. Bloody Point — From Route 16 North, take Exit 4,
making a left at the end of the exit. Just before rounding
the corner to the left, turn onto Bloody Point Road, a
small dead-end road on the right. There is a small parking
area at the gate, and a short path will bring you to a rocky
outcropping that allows access to the eddies created
by this tidal rip area. Especially in the summer months,
striped bass are lazy and will wait in the calm waters of
the eddy for an unsuspecting baitfish to swim by.
The Piscataqua River is one of the fastest flowing navigable
rivers in the world, and joins the Cocheco River, Salmon Falls
River and Little Bay en route to the Atlantic Ocean. The river
is a migratory highway for baitfish like river herring and shad.
16
DOVER
4
Do
ve
rP
oin
t
3
Rd
.
3. Hilton Park at Dover Point — The Hilton Park
access site is on the Dover side of the General Sullivan
Bridge along both sides of Route 16. This is where the
Piscataqua River meets Great Bay, and often holds large
concentrations of bait. Most fishing is done from the
pier on the river side of the park, but it’s worth working
your way along the rocks near the boat ramp and toward
the bridge.
Hilton Park
Bloody Point
General
Sullivan
Bridge
2
Pi
Exit 4
sc
M
at
aq
ua
A
Sh
IN
at
tu
ck
W
Ri
W
16
oo
ve
E
r
db
ur
y
e.
4
Av
NEWINGTON
ay
95
GREAT BAY
NATIONAL
WILDLIFE
REFUGE
Map
Market
lewo
Street
1
od A
ve
PORTSMOUTH
1
Pierce I.
1. Goat Island Bridge — On Route 1B heading from
New Castle towards Portsmouth, you will cross two
bridges, the first of which connects the Great Island
(New Castle) to Goat Island. Just before the bridge is
a dirt parking area maintained by Fish and Game. The
bridge is best fished during night tides, but taking the
time to walk the shoreline on both sides at dawn or dusk
while using lures or flies can also be very rewarding.
1B
1
Is
lin
gt
on
Str
ee
t
Shapleigh I.
Goat I.
t
hS
Sout
t
Leachs I.
1A
33
Cree k
S aga m o
Great
Island
Pest I.
Lady I.
re
e
95
1B
re
1
When the moon is full or new, a “Spring Tide” occurs, which is extremely high and extremely low
NEW
CASTLE
LITTLE
HARBOR
RYE
1A
Hen
ry L
Co
Ave
.
h
c
aw
e
r
Mid
dle
Do
oi
rP
ive
B el l a my R
155
nt
Road
16
a m y Ri ve r
Road
Oy s
ter River
Du
rha
m
DURHAM
Long
rsh
ma
Po
int R
4
Scam
m
Bridgeell
Goat Island
oad
d
Roa
t a q u a R i ve r
B e ll
aq
ua
UNH
Campus
155A
PK
Pi s c
at
Pisca
T
ING
LD
AU
SP
4
155A
ive
r
Road
MADBURY
co
R
Fox
Point
LITTLE
BAY
1
Fox P
16
oint
Roa
C ro
ad
Ro
m
Da
Cr
d
4
NEWINGTON
et
ers Fall
108
eek
cIn
d
Adams
Point
M
a
s Ro
e
ck
mm
Pa
N E
9
108
Oyster R i ve r
1. Scammell Bridge — On Route 4
between Dover and Durham, the bridge
spans the junction of the Bellamy River
and Little Bay. Much like our New
Hampshire beaches, fishing at this site
occurs primarily at night. This is a great
spot to try in the midsummer months when
the fishing gets a little tougher. An added
benefit is the occasional presence of
bluefish among the large schools of striped
bass, which will put up an amazing fight.
Fishing is best toward the center of the
bridge; which side of the bridge depends
on whether the tide is ebbing or flooding,
but the method is primarily chunk bait.
Fish and Game maintains parking lots at
both ends of the bridge.
DOVER
ve
The tidal rivers of New Hampshire are
where the salty seawater meets the warmer
fresh water. These rivers are also the final
destination of large migratory runs of river
herring before they spawn and return to sea.
2
16
9
M A I
Great Bay Estuary and
Tributaries
tyre
R oa
GREAT BAY
2. Henry Law Park — Downtown
NATIONAL
d
a
o
Dover. Traveling north on Route 108/
WILDLIFE
y
a
B
REFUGE
152
Central Avenue, make a right turn onto
GREAT
Washington Street, then turn immediLa
BAY
ately onto Henry Law Avenue. The park
3
y R.
GREAT BAY
DISCOVERY CENTER
provides access to the Cocheco River,
www.greatbay.org
where large runs of river herring end their
N E W M A R KN E T
spawning runs in May and June. A good
GREENL AND
rule of thumb is, where there are herring,
stripers are not far behind. Chunk bait, swim baits or live herring are the best. During the spring months, take a short
walk to the Central Avenue Bridge at Cocheco Falls; here, at Fish and Game’s fish ladder, biologists sample migrating river
herring, sea lamprey and the occasional Atlantic salmon.
R
d
m
Road
Road
ington
ew
New
pre
3. Newmarket Town Landing — Traveling south on Route 108 into Newmarket, turn left onto Bay Road, then right
into Lamprey River Trailer Park. There will be a sign for Heron Point Sanctuary. Park in the dirt parking area and walk
down to the head-of-tide portion of the Lamprey River. Parking is limited. Large “cow” stripers gorge themselves on
migrating river herring that pile up below the dam when tidal levels make it hard for them to access the fish ladders. Any
bait that resembles a silver river herring swimming erratically or popping the surface should entice some action.
The first striped bass caught each year in N.H. are at the base of dams, where river herring congregate
Chunk bait bottom rig setup
Need-to-know knots
Dropper Loop Knot - used to attach a second hook
Circle Hook
3-way Swivel
Main Line
1
1
4
2
Use a match stick or similar
object to assist with wrapping
the loop.
Monofilament
Leader
1 to 3 feet
Chunk Bait
Monofilament
Sinker Line
Make 5 to 8 twists in the
wrapping.
2
Pyramid Sinker (2-3 oz.)
3
3
To create a setup that will allow you to present cut bait (herring, Atlantic
mackerel, or clams) to predatory fish patrolling the surf:
1. Attach a 3-way swivel to the main line using a clinch knot
2. To the bottom-facing swivel ring, tie a stretch of monofilament
(1 to 3 feet)
3. To the end of this line, tie a pyramid sinker
4. Tie your leader line and hook to the remaining swivel ring
This configuration will allow the bait to remain near the bottom where
the pyramid sinker is resting, but the swells and current will pull the
chunk bait a few feet up in the water column. By keeping the bait
above the bottom, its movement imitates a swimming prey fish and
helps to keep it out of reach of bottom-dwelling crabs and lobsters.
Hint: When fishing around rocky shorelines, use a lower lb. test
monofilament than the main line and leader, so that in the event of a
snag in a rock crevice, only the weight is lost and will need to be retied.
Alternative floating setup: Helps keep crabs at bay. Tie a
circle hook on your line, using a clinch knot. Attach a bobber about
3 feet above it. Clamp a small weight on the line in between, about a
foot above the hook. Bait the hook with a live fish hooked through the
lip or the back just below dorsal fin.
4
5
Clinch Knot
1
2
3
4
For more saltwater fishing tips and information, log onto
fishnh.com/marine
A fish reeled up from 100+ feet will have an expanded air bladder. To increase survival, lightly squeeze the belly before releasing.