Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine fishing

[Mark]

I'm heading to New England states in middle of May for some camping and fishing. Hoping some OAFers might know of some small streams to camp on and wade fish for smallies. We're staying near Bar Harbor, ME but taking our time driving thru the other states and camp along the  way. Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions. 

[Quillback]

It's been 35 or so years ago since I've fished in Vermont, but I used to fish the White river and it's tribs.  The lower reaches have smallies, you get up around Royalton and you get a mix of rainbows, browns, and smallies.

There used to be a good population of wild browns in what are called the 1st and 2nd branches of the White.  You had to cross farm fields or pastures to access the branches, back then the farmers didn't care, but they may have changed since then.  But generally if you have to hike a ways back in, the fishing is better.

The main White is a pretty good sized river, but it is wadeable up around Royalton.  

I'm sure things have changed since I was last there, but at the time it had pretty good fishing.  Real pretty country too.  

Get some real maple syrup while you are there, it is good stuff.

 

[Johnsfolly]

We have only fished the saltwater the last time we were up that way. If you want to do some deep water fishing, I would recommend Eastman's fleet out of Seabrook. They offer 1/2 and full day fishing trips.

We had a blast catching mackerel, haddock, pollack, cod, cusk....

I can recommend some other spots if you wanted to bank fish the briny waters on the way to Maine.

[Mark]

Thanks Quill, I'll check it out. So far not finding many campgrounds on streams. Definitely won't be wandering across private fields.  HA I've read the Lake Champlain is good area for fishing and looks like the White flows out of it. 

Also wondering if blue gill, crappie, and white perch will be biting on lakes.

I'd love to find a campsite off the beaten path with some water to wade, like we're blessed with in MO.

[Mark]

Thanks Johns, doubt if we do a charter unless we do one out of Bar Harbor. We have a Vrbo for a week on the island. But definitely taking our time driving there and back. Some bank fishing rivers would be great. Maybe even a 10 mile float somewhere .

Not a big trout guy, fun to catch, not so great to eat.IMO

[Quillback]

Forgot to mention, it may very well be skeeter and blackfly season in May.  Inland in Maine the blackflies can be really, really bad.  If you are camping, be prepared to deal with them.  

Some of the smaller lakes in NH used to be very good for smallmouth.  Back then, no one fished for them.  The smallies were very dumb and aggressive. 

When I was in high school my folks rented a cabin on a small lake in NH and we caught some great smallmouth.  I wish I could remember the name of that lake, but it was in the Lake Wentworth area.  I don't know that there is much creek wade fishing for smallies in NH or Vermont, the smaller streams are typically trout deals.  

 

[Mark]

The White River has a don't eat designation. 

Do New England lakes have blue gill, crappies, and white perch? I'd be happy with a meal of panfish out of  a lake.