Because of the long, frigid winter and sluggish spring, ice continues to grip many ponds from the Lakes Region on north, separating fishermen from fish and, in some cases, fish from water. Our hatchery trucks are essentially working round the clock to get the fish out. Ice on most ponds around the Lakes Region, and in some of the larger bays on Lake Winnipesaukee, melted with the arrival of warm weather in the past week. But north of there, in the White Mountains and North Country, many ponds remain locked in ice. If the water is too cold, it's a shock to their systems and can put some added stress on them, so we try to avoid that.
Most trout caught in the state are hatchery-raised.
Fishing season on rivers and streams opened Jan. 1, but the season on lakes and ponds begins today. Stocking has proceeded in some smaller streams, but biologists are holding off on larger rivers because of the cold water temperatures and unusually high levels that can make life difficult for freshly released trout. Most stocking is done in April, May and June, with some waters stocked throughout the summer. Perry expects the department to catch up within several weeks. Jim Arnold, an avid fisherman who works at Capital Angling and Outdoor Sports in Penacook, said the water seems too high and cold in larger rivers, such as the Merrimack, for good fishing at the moment.