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Swanzey Lake

Swanzey, New Hampshire — NH Fish & Game Region 4 (Southwest NH). Listed as a Trout Pond in the 2026 Fishing Digest.

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108Surface acres
50 ftMax depth
26 ftAverage depth
MesotrophicTrophic class (NHDES)
Cold / WarmFishery type
2Public 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 Swanzey Lake is in New Hampshire

The red circle marks Swanzey Lake.

Fast facts

About Swanzey Lake

  • County: Cheshire
  • Town: Swanzey
  • Watershed: Connecticut River basin (NHDES)
  • Type: Natural lake or pond (NHDES)
  • NH Fish & Game: Region 4 (Southwest NH)
  • Distance: about 46 mi from Concord, NH and 71 mi from Boston, straight-line (not driving distance)
  • Getting there (NHFG): Swanzey Lake Rd at East Shore Rd
  • Access (NHFG): cartop gravel launch, Richardson Park
  • Lake group: Swanzey Lake Protective 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: Closed here: Swanzey Lake is a designated trout pond, and trout ponds are closed to ice fishing. Bob houses off all ice 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

Swanzey Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Swanzey Lake (Boat launch)1Richardson Park (Beach)21 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchBeach
  1. 1Swanzey Lake
    Boat launch · Swanzey
  2. 2Richardson Park
    Beach · Swanzey

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 (42.8439, -72.3033). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Swanzey 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 Swanzey 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 Swanzey Lake

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

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

    Fish you can catch

    Brook trout ★Rainbow trout ★Smallmouth bassChain pickerelBrown bullhead (horned pout)BluegillAmerican eelPumpkinseed (common sunfish)Yellow perch

    ★ = stocked in 2026. Species list from NHFG Fishing Guide codes: EBT, RT, SMB, ECP, BBH, BG, AE, CSF, YP (names decoded by us; NHFG does not publish the legend with the layer). NHFG fishery type: Cold/Warm.

    NHFG NH Freshwater Fishing Guide layer

    2026 stocking

    2 stocking trips in 2026, 1,555 fish in total.

    DateSpeciesFishLbsHatchery
    Apr 9, 2026Brook trout (1+ yr)755229Milford
    May 6, 2026Rainbow trout (1+ yr)800320Milford

    NHFG Fish Stocking (2026) feature service · NHFG stocking report

    Pulled Oct 10, 2026.

    Seasons & rules for Swanzey Lake

    The 2026 NH Freshwater Fishing Digest lists Swanzey Lake as a Trout Pond.

    ❄ Winter

    • Closed to all fishing until the 4th Saturday in April (Apr 25, 2026)
    • Trout ponds are closed to ice fishing

    🌱 Opens Apr 25 (4th Sat in April)

    • Open to all species
    • Trout: 5 fish or 5 lb/day combined, whichever comes first
    • No live fish or fish eggs as bait (salmon eggs allowed)

    ☀ Summer

    • Open to all species
    • Bass: 5/day Jun 16–Dec 31
    • Chain pickerel: no closed season, 10/day
    • Perch, crappie, sunfish & horned pout: no closed season, 25/day each, 50 total

    🍂 Fall

    • Closed to salmon from Oct 1
    • Closed to all species Oct 16 until the 4th Saturday in April

    2026 NH Freshwater Fishing Digest: Lakes & Ponds with Special Rules · General Rules

    Summary only; other species follow the general rules. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Boat launches & access sites

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

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Swanzey LakeSwanzeyTown - SwanzeySmall Boat Ramp · Paved rampGravelNo feeFishing, Boating
    No personal watercraft; Trout waters; Access: Partial/Limited
    42.8366, -72.3035
    Richardson ParkSwanzeyTown - SwanzeyBeachPavedResidents onlySwimming, Picnic, Restrooms
    Town residents only; Access: Partial
    42.8406, -72.3016

    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 Swanzey 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

    None documented NHDES lists no known invasive species in Swanzey Lake.

    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
    Richardson Park BeachMonitoring Season CompletedAug 18, 2026left: 30.9 center: 22.6 right: 32.7None listedReport

    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 Swanzey 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 Swanzey 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 surveys1977, 1986, 2005
    Volunteer monitoringPart of the NHDES Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (VLAP)
    Fish consumptionNHDES mercury report for Swanzey 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 Swanzey