US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsWakefield, New Hampshire — NH Fish & Game Region 2 (Lakes Region).
Source: NH Fish & Game NH Freshwater Fishing Guide layer (2026; depth/area/trophic from NHDES). Depth map: NHFG bathymetry map (PDF).
The red circle marks Balch Pond.
Towns and counties: NHFG, NHDES and U.S. Census town boundaries (shore towns found by overlaying the lake outline).
As of 2026-10-10. Check the official source before you go.
No public access sites are listed for this water in the NH Access Sites data.
Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 129971174), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: NH Access Sites to Public Waters (NH OPD / NHFG). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (43.6171, -70.9654). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Balch Pond. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.
Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.
NHDES keeps an ice-in / ice-out record for Balch Pond. See the NHDES ice-out dates for Balch Pond.
We link to the record instead of copying it here; check the NHDES page for this year's date.
Species list from NHFG Fishing Guide codes: LMB, ECP, BBH, BC, YP, CSF (names decoded by us; NHFG does not publish the legend with the layer). NHFG fishery type: Warmwater.
Statewide general rules Balch Pond is not listed as a Lake Trout/Salmon Lake or Trout Pond in the 2026 Digest, so New Hampshire's general lake & pond rules apply to the species found here.
| Species | Season & limits (general rules) |
|---|---|
| Black bass | Jan 1–May 14: 2/day · May 15–Jun 15: catch-and-release, artificial lures & flies only · Jun 16–Dec 31: 5/day |
| Chain pickerel | no closed season, 10/day |
| Perch, crappie, sunfish & horned pout | no closed season, 25/day each, 50 total |
2026 NH Freshwater Fishing Digest: Lakes & Ponds General Rules · Lakes & Ponds with Special Rules
Summary only. Check the current Digest before you fish. As of Oct 10, 2026.
Documented on Balch Pond
NHDES control status: Herbicide treatment and hand pulling and suction harvesting. Infestations reduced.
NHDES Lake Information Mapper · RSA 487:16-d · RSA 487:16-c
As of Oct 10, 2026.
Check before you swim: the NHDES Healthy Swimming Mapper is updated daily. If you see a bloom, stay out of the water, keep pets out, and report it to NHDES.
| Trophic class | Mesotrophic (moderate nutrients) |
| Water quality class | Class B (NH surface water classification) |
| NHDES lake surveys | 1982, 2002, 2024 |
| Fish consumption | NHDES mercury report for Balch Pond |
Straight-line distance between lake centers. All New Hampshire lakes & ponds · All waters in Wakefield