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Pawtuckaway Lake

Nottingham, New Hampshire — NH Fish & Game Inland Fisheries Division (Concord headquarters).

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784Surface acres
50 ftMax depth
9 ftAverage depth
MesotrophicTrophic class (NHDES)
WarmwaterFishery type
4Public access sites

Source: NH Fish & Game NH Freshwater Fishing Guide layer (2026; depth/area/trophic from NHDES). Depth map: NHFG bathymetry map (PDF).

Location & fast facts

Where Pawtuckaway Lake is in New Hampshire

The red circle marks Pawtuckaway Lake.

Fast facts

About Pawtuckaway Lake

  • County: Rockingham
  • Town: Nottingham
  • Watershed: Coastal River basin (NHDES)
  • Type: Natural lake or pond (NHDES)
  • NH Fish & Game: Inland Fisheries Division (Concord headquarters)
  • Distance: about 22 mi from Concord, NH and 51 mi from Boston, straight-line (not driving distance)
  • Getting there (NHFG): Fundy Rd
  • Access (NHFG): Pawtuckaway Lake Boat Ramp (Fundy Cove)
  • Lake group: Pawtuckaway Lake Improvement Association

Towns and counties: NHFG, NHDES and U.S. Census town boundaries (shore towns found by overlaying the lake outline).

Fishing in New Hampshire

  • 2026 fishing license: Resident $45 · Non-resident $63 · 1-day $10 / $15 NHFG
  • Kids: Under 16 fish free, no license needed NHFG
  • Free fishing days 2026: Sat Jan 17 & Sat Jun 6 (3rd Sat in Jan, 1st Sat in June) NH Digest
  • Lakes & ponds: Almost 1,000 public lakes and ponds NHDES
  • Buy a license: Online or at about 250 local license agents NHFG
  • Ice fishing: Most waters: ice-in to ice-out. Lake trout/salmon lakes: Jan 1–Mar 31, no keeping salmon. Trout ponds closed. Bob houses off by Apr 1 NH Digest
  • Regulations: 2026 NH Freshwater Fishing Digest

As of 2026-10-10. Check the official source before you go.

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Lake map

Pawtuckaway Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Pawtuckaway Lake Boat Access (Boat launch)1Pawtuckaway State Park (Beach)2Town Beach (Beach)3Pawtuckaway State Park (Cartop / walk-in)41 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchCartop / walk-inBeach
  1. 1Pawtuckaway Lake Boat Access
    Boat launch · Nottingham
  2. 2Pawtuckaway State Park
    Beach · Nottingham
  3. 3Town Beach
    Beach · Nottingham
  4. 4Pawtuckaway State Park
    Cartop / walk-in · Nottingham

Shoreline: NHDES Lake Information Mapper lake outline (NH hydrography data). State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: NH Access Sites to Public Waters (NH OPD / NHFG) and NHDES beach program. Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (43.0897, -71.1379). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Pawtuckaway Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Pawtuckaway Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    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.

    Ice-out on Pawtuckaway Lake

    NHDES keeps an ice-in / ice-out record for Pawtuckaway Lake. See the NHDES ice-out dates for Pawtuckaway Lake.

    We link to the record instead of copying it here; check the NHDES page for this year's date.

    Fish you can catch

    Smallmouth bassLargemouth bassChain pickerelBrown bullhead (horned pout)White perchBlack crappieAmerican eelYellow perch

    Species list from NHFG Fishing Guide codes: SMB, LMB, ECP, BBH, WP, BC, AE, YP (names decoded by us; NHFG does not publish the legend with the layer). NHFG fishery type: Warmwater.

    NHFG NH Freshwater Fishing Guide layer

    Fishing seasons & limits

    Statewide general rules Pawtuckaway Lake 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.

    SpeciesSeason & limits (general rules)
    Black bassJan 1–May 14: 2/day · May 15–Jun 15: catch-and-release, artificial lures & flies only · Jun 16–Dec 31: 5/day
    Chain pickerelno closed season, 10/day
    Perch, crappie, sunfish & horned poutno 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.

    Boat launches & access sites

    4 public access sites listed, 1 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Pawtuckaway Lake Boat AccessNottinghamState - NHFG (RTPW)Trailer/Ramp · Concrete log rampGravelNo feeFishing, Boating, Restrooms
    Shallow channel when low water; 6 MPH in Fundy Cove; Access: Partial; Handicap accessible
    43.1092, -71.1480
    Pawtuckaway State ParkNottinghamState - DNCRCanoe/Cartop LaunchGravelFeeBoating, Restrooms
    No camping or fires; Access: Partial
    43.0870, -71.1588
    Pawtuckaway State ParkNottinghamState - DNCRBeach/PicnicGravelFeeSwimming, Camping, Picnic, Restrooms
    Access: Accessible
    43.0848, -71.1550
    Town BeachNottinghamTown - NottinghamBeach/Picnic—Residents onlySwimming, Picnic, Restrooms
    Residents only; Access: Limited
    43.1068, -71.1246

    NH Access Sites to Public Waters (NH OPD / NHFG)

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Boating rules on Pawtuckaway Lake

    NH State Police Marine Patrol, Restricted Bodies of Water

    These are the restrictions listed for this water. Statewide boating laws (RSA 270, Saf-C 400) also apply. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Invasive species

    Documented on Pawtuckaway Lake

    NHDES control status: State/local/contract diving annually. Herbicide treatment planned for 2026 due to severe infestation.

    Clean, Drain, Dry is NH law. Drain your boat, live wells, bilges and gear when you leave any water, travel with drain plugs out (RSA 487:16-d), and don't carry plants or weeds on your boat, trailer or vehicle (RSA 487:16-c). NH LAKES Lake Host.

    NHDES Lake Information Mapper · RSA 487:16-d · RSA 487:16-c

    As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Public beaches

    1 beach is in the NHDES Public Beach Inspection Program, which tests for E. coli bacteria in summer.

    BeachStatusLast sampleE. coli (cts/100 mL)Advisories this seasonAnnual report
    Pawtuckaway State Park BeachMonitoring Season CompletedSep 1, 2026left: 4.1, center: <1, right: 3.17/22-7/24Report

    NHDES Healthy Swimming Mapper · NHDES Public Beach Program

    As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Safe to swim?

    Toxic algae (cyanobacteria): NHDES statusChecking NHDES…
    Live from the NHDES Healthy Swimming Mapper. NHDES issues warnings May 15–Oct 15.
    Beach bacteria testingState-tested beaches
    1 beach on Pawtuckaway Lake is sampled by NHDES; see Public beaches.

    Check before you swim: the NHDES Healthy Swimming Mapper is updated daily. NHDES history: cyanobacteria notices for Pawtuckaway Lake. If you see a bloom, stay out of the water, keep pets out, and report it to NHDES.

    Water quality

    Trophic classMesotrophic (moderate nutrients)
    Water quality classClass B (NH surface water classification)
    NHDES lake surveys1979, 1989, 1998
    Volunteer monitoringPart of the NHDES Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (VLAP)
    Fish consumptionNHDES mercury report for Pawtuckaway Lake

    NHDES Lake Information Mapper

    Contact & official info

    More trip ideas PLACEHOLDER AFFILIATE LINKS

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All New Hampshire lakes & ponds · All waters in Nottingham