Upper Ammonoosuc River Fishing Guides
A North Country New Hampshire trout river running west to the Connecticut, with easy wading, quiet water and very little pressure outside of stocking season.
Guides on the Upper Ammonoosuc River
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About the Upper Ammonoosuc River
The Upper Ammonoosuc is a North Country river, and it should not be confused with the Ammonoosuc that drains the west side of Mount Washington some distance south. This one rises in the country around the Pilot and Percy ranges and runs west through Stark and Groveton to meet the Connecticut River, draining a valley that is forested, thinly populated and quiet in a way that most of New Hampshire no longer is. It is a medium-sized river with a moderate gradient, long flat sections broken by riffles and short pitches, and banks that are easy to walk for most of its length.
Trout are the reason to fish it. Brook trout are native and hold in the colder water and the tributaries, brown and rainbow trout are stocked and carry the bulk of the fishing through spring and early summer, and the river fishes well for anglers who like to cover water on foot. Smallmouth bass are present in the lower, warmer reaches near the Connecticut, and chain pickerel and fallfish turn up in the slower sections. The overall picture is a pleasant, accessible, unpretentious trout river rather than a destination fishery, and the lack of crowds is a substantial part of its appeal.
The USGS gauge near Groveton reports discharge for the lower river, and it does what a North Country gauge does: it spikes hard with snowmelt in April, settles into good fishing flows through late spring, and drops away through the summer until autumn rain brings it back. Timing matters here more than on a tailwater, because a warm dry August can reduce the river to conditions where trout are best left alone. Access is simple, with a state highway following the valley and numerous informal pull-offs. Groveton and Stark are the local communities, and services in this part of the state are limited.
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Access
Groveton - the village at the gauge and the main access point on the lower river.
Stark - the covered-bridge village upstream, and the best-known stretch of the middle river.
Connecticut River confluence - the western end of the river below Groveton.
Percy - the upper valley, where the river is smaller and colder.
Northumberland - the town containing Groveton, on the Connecticut.
Berlin - the nearest larger town, southeast over the height of land.
Lancaster - the nearest town with services to the south down the Connecticut valley.
Seasons
Spring: high snowmelt flows in April followed by the best fishing of the year in May and June, coinciding with the stocking season.
Summer: flows drop and the water warms, pushing trout into the coldest water and making early mornings the only reliable window in a dry year.
Fall: autumn rain restores the flow and brown trout become aggressive, which makes this the quietest and often the best time to be on it.
Winter: cold, snowbound and effectively out of season, with the valley storing the snowpack that drives the spring rise.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Upper Ammonoosuc River?
As of Oct 18, 4:30 pm, the USGS gauge UPPER AMMONOOSUC RIVER NEAR GROVETON, NH reads 335 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Upper Ammonoosuc River?
Anglers target Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Chain Pickerel, Fallfish, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass on the Upper Ammonoosuc River in New Hampshire.
Where can you access the Upper Ammonoosuc River?
Groveton - the village at the gauge and the main access point on the lower river. Stark - the covered-bridge village upstream, and the best-known stretch of the middle river. Connecticut River confluence - the western end of the river below Groveton. Percy - the upper valley, where the river is smaller and colder. Northumberland - the town containing Groveton, on the Connecticut. Berlin - the nearest larger town, southeast over the height of land. Lancaster - the nearest town with services to the south down the Connecticut valley.
When is the best time to fish the Upper Ammonoosuc River?
Spring: high snowmelt flows in April followed by the best fishing of the year in May and June, coinciding with the stocking season. Summer: flows drop and the water warms, pushing trout into the coldest water and making early mornings the only reliable window in a dry year. Fall: autumn rain restores the flow and brown trout become aggressive, which makes this the quietest and often the best time to be on it. Winter: cold, snowbound and effectively out of season, with the valley storing the snowpack that drives the spring rise.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Upper Ammonoosuc River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the New Hampshire agency site: https://www.wildlife.nh.gov/fishing-new-hampshire