News from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
Phone: (603) 271-3211
Email: info@wildlife.nh.gov
For information and online licenses, visit http://www.wildnh.com
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CONTACT:
Scott Decker, (603) 271-2501
Jane Vachon, (603) 271-3211
December 23, 2010
N.H. Fishing Rule Changes for 2011
CONCORD, N.H. – As the start of the new year approaches, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department wants anglers to be aware of several administrative rule changes that will take effect in 2011.
“There is a mix of new rules for 2011,” said Scott Decker, Inland Fisheries Program Supervisor for N.H. Fish and Game. “Bass anglers need to take note of new size and bag restrictions during the ice fishing season and anglers trolling certain lake trout and salmon lakes have new restrictions regarding terminal tackle. Several trout ponds will now have less restrictive seasons and be open year round, which means you will be able to take fish through the ice.”
The following administrative rule changes affecting anglers take effect January 1, 2011:
For the following lake trout and salmon lakes: Big Greenough Pond, Conway Lake, Merrymeeting Lake, Newfound Lake, Ossipee Lake, Silver Lake (Madison), Big Squam Lake, Little Squam Lake, Sunapee Lake, Winnipesaukee Lake, and Winnisquam Lake, when trolling, only one artificial bait, one fly, one tandem fly or one bait shall be used per rod; and only a single hook with a single hook point shall be used for bait.
From ice-in to ice-out on lakes/ponds, the daily bag limit for black bass shall be 2 fish, and only 1 bass per day may be taken that is larger than 16 inches.
From January 1 to March 31 on rivers/streams, the daily bag limit for black bass shall be 2 fish, and only 1 bass per day may be taken that is larger than 16 inches.
For the following lakes: Clement Pond/Joe Silvia Lake (Hopkinton), Grassy Pond (Rindge), Warren Lake (Alstead), and Gregg Lake (Antrim), from ice-in to ice-out no person can take black bass from 15 to 20 inches and the daily limit for black bass is 3 fish, of which only 1 can be larger than 20 inches.
For the following ponds: Fish Pond (Columbia), Bean Pond (Ossipee), Little Pond (Sandwich), and Hildreth Reservoir (Warren) changed from trout pond regulations to general fishing regulations.
For the following river: Pemigewasset River, from the Route 104 Bridge downstream to the Ayers Island Dam, fishing now allowed year round (open to ice fishing).
New Definitions: Anglers may want to be aware that some of the definitions of terms used in the fishing rules are either new or have changed slightly from previous years. For example, these new definitions include:
* “Artificial bait” means any fishing bait constructed by humans as an imitation or substitute for natural bait or fish forage and includes, but is not limited to spinners, spoons, poppers, plugs, jigs and plastic, rubber or other artificial imitations of natural bait.
* “Bait” means dead or live natural bait whether in part or whole and includes but is not limited to fish, mollusks, crustaceans, amphibians, invertebrates, reptiles, or their progeny or eggs, and power bait or any ingestible substance.
* “Cast of artificial flies” means no more than 3 flies.
* "Fly fishing" means fishing by trolling or casting with only fly rod, fly reel, and fly line combination with an artificial fly or cast of artificial flies attached and does not include the use of spinning, spincast, and casting rods and reels and lead core lines.
* “Trolling” means angling by trailing a line from a vessel (defined in RSA 270-D:1 XI) being propelled by machinery, electric, or manual power.
* “Tandem fly” means two single pointed hooks dressed with feathers, hair, thread, tinsel or any similar material and joined together by a single strand of wire or line, one behind the other to form a single artificial fly. There shall be no spinner, spoon or similar device is added.
For more information on New Hampshire fishing rules, consult the current New Hampshire Fishing Digest, available at http://www.fishnh.com/Fishing/fishing.htm (click on the publication cover) or from license agents across the state.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is the guardian of the state’s fish, wildlife and marine resources and their habitats. Visit http://www.fishnh.com.
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