N.H. Fishing Rule Changes for 2011
 

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.

Ah, clear as mud....

So I'm confused, for the lake trout/Salmon lakes listed, if I'm using artificial bait (typically I troll with bb guns or top guns) which are all outfitted with tri hooks, do those all have to be swapped out with single hooks, or are they specifically addressing live bait can only be used with a single hook?

I believe the single hook single point hook is just for bait.

Who writes this stuff?
 

While I agree with Jonas Pilot that it "seems" like artificial lures are still allowed to use treble hooks, the lack of clarifying language leaves the topic very muddled. I sent an email to F&G the day these new regs were published. Still waiting to hear back.

The way I read it, it seems clear that you MUST swap out all your trebles with single hooks including on your BBs, DBs, Top Guns, Mooseluks, etc. Where this gets cloudy is they mention that tandem flies are OK but later state that all baits must have a single pointed single hook....tandems by definition have two hooks. If tandems are exempted from the rule then can the second hook be a treble? Probably not but they made this very unclear....a sure sign of a rule that was rushed through without enough thought.

Make sure that when you switch your trebles for singles, that you use the right sized hook. I'm sure AJ from AJs Bait and Tackle can guide you...he'll probably make a lot in hook sales this spring. Hopefully lure makers adapt and begin packaging their spoons with single pointed hooks.

Hopefully Mink Islander gets an email back because that's not at all how I read it. I read it as only being for live bait. This makes sense to me becuase fish tend to quickly swallow live bait more so than lures.

Talked to the owner of A.J.'s Bait and Tackle in Meredith (Alan) and he explained to me that it was only live bait the single hook applies to. The sliding hooks (one attaches to lip the others attaches to the anus) on the live fish(smelt) are not allowed in the New Year. I'm going to change my hardware to single hooks anyways and hope I wound less Salmon. And remember it's illegal to pull Salmon from the ice....cut the line so that the gills are not exposed to the cold air.

Boy, I'm glad that fish & game is explaining their rules to the point where I don't know if I can fish anywhere with any line or hook in any pond, lake or river. Guess I'll just have to give up all sports

New Fishing Rules
 

Good grief! They define bait as something that is or was alive. Must use a single hook. Lures that were never alive can use trebles, double or singles.

It's going to be a whole new learning curve for me once I finally get up there. NH fish and game regulations are quite a bit more complicated thatn here in Mass.

I think laws are are simpler because Mass has a lot of stupid people. ;) That's why I'm leaving.:laugh: