Fishing Report For Squam Lake, NH

By Rick Seaman

April 10, 2025

Popular Fish Species Reports
Squam Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Today's Weather & Forecast
Fishing Boat Rentals
Boat Launch Ramps
Marinas
Fishing License
Map
Contact Info

Fishing Report Squam Lake, NH

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Squam Lake, NH

Smallmouth Bass

Current Report: Fair
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Squam Lake is well known as an excellent smallmouth bass fishery. The ice is melting and the smallies are moving to shallow water looking to feed and begin the spawning process. Locals report crankbaits, small jigs and tube baits are among the top options for early Spring. Late Spring and early summer, topwater is a good choice, early and late in the day. When they move off the bank, drop-shots are catching a lot of smallmouth. On bad weather days, the fishing is often good when it's cold, windy, cloudy and rainy.

Landlocked Atlantic Salmon

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Smelt are the key to finding and catching these big salmon in Squam Lake. Locals report that getting on the lake soon after ice-out, provides the best opportunity of good salmon fishing, as they are relatively shallow. Come Summer, look for them just below the thermocline, usually around 40' to 45'. Electronics create a big advantage in locating both smelt and salmon. Live smelt is reported to be the top option, and lures imitating smelt are second best. Local anglers most often target landlocked salmon by trolling open water, once schools are located in an area.

Rainbow Trout

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Very Good

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department maintains a stocking program that allows anglers good opportunity to catch rainbow trout in Squam Lake. The diet of a rainbow trout consists of insects, small fishes and crustaceans. Successful anglers are using flies or small lures, imitating their natural food. Small spinners, miniature crankbaits and small swimbaits are catching rainbows, as are nightcrawlers and prepared baits. Spring and Fall are the best seasons, when the shallow water is cooler than it is in \Summer. Ice fishing was good this Winter, for both rainbow and lake trout.

Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, lake trout, landlocked salmon, pumpkinseed sunfish, redbreast sunfish, white perch, yellow perch and chain pickerel at Squam Lake in New Hampshire.

Squam Lake is a 6,700-acre lake with over 60 miles of shoreline. It consists of a main upper lake, and a smaller lower lake. Fishing options include bass, trout, salmon, sunfish, perch and pickerel. Smallmouth bass fishing is the main attraction. Lots of islands, creek channels, ledges, timber, drop-offs, rock and vegetation provide ideal habitat for fish species here.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

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Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

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Marinas

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Fishing License

Click here for a New Hampshire Fishing License.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".