It’s a fishing day

Lake Winnipesaukee fishing conditions · New Hampshire

Sit it outno smallmouth bass window clears the bar in 36 hours

Wind builds to 20 mph out of the northwest by tomorrow at 4:00 am.

Log a trip here
Right now: 40 for smallmouth bass, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Smallmouth bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 404 pm
  2. 40
  3. 40
  4. 407 pm
  5. 30
  6. 20
  7. 2010 pm
  8. 30
  9. 30Sun
  10. 231 am
  11. 23
  12. 30
  13. 74 am
  14. 7
  15. 7
  16. 107 am
  17. 7
  18. 10
  19. 1010 am
  20. 10
  21. 10
  22. 101 pm
  23. 33
  24. 33
  25. 334 pm
  26. 33
  27. 33
  28. 337 pm
  29. 33
  30. 33
  31. 3310 pm
  32. 33
  33. 33Mon
  34. 331 am
  35. 33
  36. 33
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Smallmouth bass range 55–78°

Wind
5 mph

From the northeast

Light
Twilight

Sunset 4:29 pm

Sky
Light Rain Likely

56% chance of rain

Air
54°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are New Hampshire non-tidal regulations for these waters.

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

40Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Smallmouth bass is here May–Oct. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

2 a day (Jan 1–May 14); 5 a day (Jun 16–Dec 31)

Open. Keep fish within the limits. New Hampshire: no minimum length. 2 bass a day Jan 1–May 14, catch and release with artificial lures May 15–Jun 15, 5 a day from Jun 16.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · New Hampshire non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

40Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Largemouth bass is here May–Oct. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

2 a day (Jan 1–May 14); 5 a day (Jun 16–Dec 31)

Open. Keep fish within the limits. New Hampshire: no minimum length. 2 bass a day Jan 1–May 14, catch and release with artificial lures May 15–Jun 15, 5 a day from Jun 16.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · New Hampshire non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Landlocked Salmon

Landlocked salmon

Salmo salar

–Not scoredNo targeting

No targetingClosed to targeting. Release any you hook at once.

Water

No water reading here right now. Landlocked salmon bite in 38–60° water, best near 50°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–70 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 2 a day

Closed to targeting. Release any you hook at once. New Hampshire: 15" minimum, 2 a day, Apr 1–Sep 30 only. On Lake Trout and Salmon Lakes the 2 count toward a combined 2-fish trout and salmon limit.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · New Hampshire non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Sep–Jun. More on landlocked salmon

Lake Trout

Lake trout

Salvelinus namaycush

–Not scoredNo targeting

No targetingClosed to targeting. Release any you hook at once.

Water

No water reading here right now. Lake trout bite in 40–52° water, best near 48°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 30–200 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 2 a day

Closed to targeting. Release any you hook at once. New Hampshire (2026): 15" minimum, 2 lake trout a day, Jan 1–Sep 30. Lake trout no longer count against the salmon limit. Lake Trout and Salmon Lakes close Oct 1–Dec 31 and ban trolling then.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · New Hampshire non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Sep–Jun. More on lake trout

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer29.69 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:29 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:30 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Major solunarTonight 9:40 pm–11:40 pm
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:40 am–6:40 am
  • Major solunarTomorrow 9:50 am–11:50 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. New Hampshire Fish & Game has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: New Hampshire Fish & Game · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

New Hampshire’s largest lake — 44,000 acres in the Lakes Region, a coldwater fishery for landlocked salmon and lake trout trolled deep, plus smallmouth and largemouth bass on the rocky islands and weed lines. A popular ice-fishing destination, with public ramps at Glendale, Meredith, and Alton Bay.

Lake Trout and Salmon Lake: 15" minimum on trout, lake trout and salmon; 2 trout and salmon a day combined plus 2 lake trout. Salmon Apr 1–Sep 30 only; trout, lake trout and salmon closed Oct 1–Dec 31, with no trolling then.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Lake Winnipesaukee?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Lake Winnipesaukee you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Lake Winnipesaukee?

Lake Winnipesaukee is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Landlocked Salmon, Lake Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Lake Winnipesaukee?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Lake Winnipesaukee against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Lake Winnipesaukee have?

Lake Winnipesaukee has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Lake Trout and Salmon Lake: 15" minimum on trout, lake trout and salmon; 2 trout and salmon a day combined plus 2 lake trout. Salmon Apr 1–Sep 30 only; trout, lake trout and salmon closed Oct 1–Dec 31, with no trolling then.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Lake Winnipesaukee?

state agency regulations apply at Lake Winnipesaukee. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Lake Winnipesaukee tidal water?

No. Lake Winnipesaukee is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.