A regulatory proposal in New Hampshire appears to have pitted fly fishermen against conventional anglers. New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (NHFGD) officials say they are seeking to “reorganize and clarify the rules for water bodies managed for recreational fishing” beginning with the 2025 season.
The proposal would have an outsized impact on fly fishing regulations: it would cut the number of “fly fishing only” trout ponds from 27 to 5, opening up those waterbodies to spin tackle with artificial lures. It would also change certain “catch-and-release only” waters to limited take fisheries. And the proposal would also shorten some of the fishing seasons on some of the state’s waterways.
According to a New Hampshire Public Radio story, the Granite State’s fly fishing community came out in full force at a recent public meeting to express concern over the proposed regulations. “Where’s the simplification in having all these changing closing dates?” asked Steve Angers, owner of North Country angler. “There is a whole economic hit that those of us in the Mount Washington Valley to the border will take by the season closing [early].”
Other anglers questioned the decision to allow catch-and-take fishing on waterways that they say currently produce trophy trout. And fly angler Eric Turcotte called the existing fly-fishing only waters “sanctuaries” for fly anglers, arguing that “opening them up [to spin fishing] is the wrong thing to do.”
The recent public meeting was dominated by fly anglers; it’s not clear where the state’s conventional anglers stand on the recent proposal, which would give them greater access to public waterbodies.
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NHFGD officials have emphasized that for now the proposal is just that—a proposal. The state agency plans to balance public sentiment with biology when making its final management decisions. Another open meeting to discuss the proposal is scheduled for September 6 in Lancaster.
