Tailwater · Mixed · New Hampshire

Connecticut Lakes / Upper Connecticut River

Up in the far north of New Hampshire, where the Connecticut River is born out of a chain of cold lakes against the Quebec line, Pittsburg holds the state's best landlocked salmon and brook trout fishing — moose country, big woods, and a river that fishes as a series of connected lake-outlet reaches.

Species

About as good as it gets

Low and clear — careful approach country. Take your time — read the water before you cast.

90% confidence in this read
Water temperature for brook trout
Cool — slow
9°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for brook trout
  • Temperature8528% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time8013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity6312% weight
Conditions
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
9.0°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
22°C
Wind
NW 15 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1020 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Rain · ahead
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for brook trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Excellent — water clarity is right today, though insect activity could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Freshwater ShrimpHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Western Blue-Winged OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Pale Morning DunHatch
2
3
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • NH salmon season opens 1 April on managed waters; the Upper Connecticut reaches carry water-specific rules — verify exact Connecticut Lakes / Upper Connecticut rules against NH Fish & Game
  • Northern access and weather are factors.
Directions
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About this water

Up in the far north of New Hampshire, where the Connecticut River is born out of a chain of cold lakes against the Quebec line, Pittsburg holds the state's best landlocked salmon and brook trout fishing — moose country, big woods, and a river that fishes as a series of connected lake-outlet reaches. The open-water salmon season starts on the first of April on the managed lakes, and the river reaches below First and Second Connecticut hold salmon, brook trout, and stocked rainbows and browns. It's a lake-and-river rhythm: salmon move with the smelt and the outlet flows, brookies hold in the cold tributaries and pockets. Northern, quiet, and weather-exposed — a good New Hampshire route into the pack that keeps the salmon-and-river character rather than chasing the big managed lakes.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 April → 30 September
Other water nearby · 3