PUBLIC HEARING ON 2016 FISHING RULES - The Fisherman
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PUBLIC HEARING ON 2016 FISHING RULES

April 19, 2019 by jeremy

A public hearing on proposed New Hampshire freshwater fishing rule changes for 2016 will be held at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, August 5, 2015, at the N.H. Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, N.H.

Fish and Game Department is proposing to adopt various amendments to rules regarding freshwater fishing; the changes would become effective January 1, 2016.

The proposed rules would:

  • Clarify that there are no limits on white suckers or rock bass;
  • Change the rules for Caldwell Pond in Alstead and Hogback Pond in Greenfield so that neither are regulated as trout ponds;
  • Change the closing date to September 30 for taking trout from the segment of the Androscoggin River upstream of Errol Dam to Lake Umbagog (currently November 30);
  • Re-categorize a segment of the Contoocook River so that it is no longer regulated as fly-fishing-only waters and so that the trout bag limit is liberalized;
  • Change the rules for a segment of the Magalloway River, the Swift Diamond River, and Dead Diamond River so that the closing date for taking trout is moved to September 30 (currently November 30 in Magalloway and October 15 in Swift and Dead Diamond);
  • Change the rules for a section of the Piscataquog River in New Boston to remove the delayed harvest rule for trout;
  • Change the rules for the Connecticut River above the Route 114 bridge to no-take, artificial lures and flies only prior to the fourth Saturday in April;
  • Alter bag limits on Maine-New Hampshire interstate waters from applying to combined trout species to applying to individual trout species, and adjust limits and seasons for various other gamefish species; and
  • Add two species to the trophy fish program.

In addition, the proposed rules would require that any invertebrates used for freshwater fishing bait be imported only from a zebra mussel-free source.

The complete rule making notice, with original and proposed rule language for these proposals, can be viewed at NH FISH AND GAME.

Written comments must be received by August 12, 2015. Send to: [email protected] (use the rule name in your subject line); or write to Executive Director, N.H. Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301; or fax to 603-271-5829.