5 Great Places to Fish on Go Fishing Day!

When you think of New England, certain things come to mind: beautiful scenery, the extensive coastline, great food, and lots of activities that take advantage of our natural surroundings. Fishing has a long history in New England, with many of our biggest and best cities built around rivers, lakes, and the ocean. 

On top of the many different places that you can fish, you can find a wide range of different types such as smallmouth or largemouth bass, various types of trout (rainbow, brook, brown, or tiger), pike, salmon, sunfish, perch (white and yellow), carp, crappie, and so many more.

Whether you’re into fly-fishing, trolling, or deep-sea fishing, there’s a place for you in New England! Here we talk about 5 great places to fish in New England for Go Fishing Day!

5 Great Spots to Fish in New England

Half-Mile Beach – Reid State Park, Georgetown, ME

Reid State Park boasts the honor of being Maine’s first state-owned saltwater beach located in Georgetown, Me close to Bath, ME. When you visit, you can take advantage of the expanses of sandy beaches, rare in Maine, known for its rocky coastline. While being available for recreational activities, Reid State Park also has essential nesting areas for endangered least terns and piping plovers and resting and feeding areas for other shorebirds. So, keep that in mind when visiting the area. Reid State Park is great for catching small striped bass in June and July, and you can cast your line directly from the shore. However, if you’ve got your sights set on larger bass, wait until late August.

Admission Fees: Non-Resident $8, Resident $6, Senior Non-Resident $2

Wachusett Reservoir – Worcester County, MA

Located only minutes away from Worcester, MA, the Wachusett Reservoir, Quabbin Reservoir, and Ware River are high-quality water sources for the citizens of Massachusetts. The Wachusett Reservoir also happens to be one of the most popular fishing areas because of the thousands of fish anglers have caught. Creel surveys (A creel survey is an estimation of catches provided by recreational anglers that helps fisheries managers assess the health of game fish populations) have shown between 8,000 – 10,000 fish are caught each year. You’ll find large and smallmouth bass as well as trout in the Wachusett Reservoir. Bass favor warmer waters, so if that’s what you fancy, try fishing in June and July. But if you’re on the hunt for tasty trout, they’re a fish that prefers the colder waters, and you’ll be more successful in October when the water temp drops.

Admission Fees: Free

Otter Creek – Rutland/Addison Counties, Vermont

Although it’s called a creek, Otter Creek is a 112-mile long river that flows through Vermont. It drains from the Green Mountains and winds north through Rutland, Middlebury and empties into Lake Champlain. Uniquely, Otter Creek offers different types of fish, depending on where you are. The thinner, shallower sections are perfect for fly fishing for trout, but as the river gets wider and deeper, you’ll find carp, northern pike, and bass are plentiful. If you find yourself fishing where the river meets Lake Champlain, you’ll have access to sizeable warm-water fish. Unlike other places on this list, fishing Otter Creek can be a year-round activity. If you’ve got a competitive streak in you, sign up for The Otter Creek Classic held in April.

Admission: Free

Merrimack River – Manchester, NH

Merrimack River is located in the southern-central half of New Hampshire near Manchester. The allure of this particular river is the wide variety of fish that can be caught, ranging from small and largemouth bass, striped bass, carp to trout and Atlantic salmon. Unlike some of our other suggestions above that allow only shoreline fishing, you can fish Merrimack River in almost any fashion: boat, off a bridge, from the shore, etc. Please see local rules about what type of fishing is allowed in the area.

Admission: Free

Lake Winnipesaukee – Lakes Region, NH

Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire is a 72 square mile lake with over 250 islands and numerous inlets, coves, bays, and drop-offs. It’s almost impossible to fish every inch of this lake in a lifetime, but hey, why not give it a shot! This lake is a bass fisherman’s dream as smallmouth and largemouth are plentiful and many other game fish, including trout, perch, and eels. If you get tired of fishing, Laconia, Meredith, and Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, all have excellent restaurants and other attractions to keep you entertained. Lake Winnepesaukee is a huge tourist draw in the summer, so keep that in mind when choosing a location to fish.

Admission: Free

So, where are you headed for Go Fishing Day this year? Headed to the creek out behind your house or are you headed to Lake Winnepesaukee? Either way, let’s reel in a whopper!

ALSO! Head out this weekend and fish with your Dad. This weekend ONLY (June 19 – 20th, 2021) it’s FREE Fishing Weekend in Maine. You can fish without a fishing license – all you need to do is register first. Register here.