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Webster Lake

Franklin, New Hampshire — NH Fish & Game Region 2 (Lakes Region).

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606Surface acres
39 ftMax depth
18 ftAverage depth
OligotrophicTrophic class (NHDES)
Cold / WarmFishery type
3Public 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 Webster Lake is in New Hampshire

The red circle marks Webster Lake.

Fast facts

About Webster Lake

  • County: Merrimack
  • Town: Franklin
  • Watershed: Merrimack River basin (NHDES)
  • Type: Natural lake or pond (NHDES)
  • NH Fish & Game: Region 2 (Lakes Region)
  • Distance: about 20 mi from Concord, NH and 83 mi from Boston, straight-line (not driving distance)
  • Getting there (NHFG): Rt 11
  • Access (NHFG): ramp at Legace Beach, or Webster Lake WMA shorebank
  • Lake group: Webster Lake 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.

Lake map

Webster Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Griffin Beach (Beach)1Lagace Beach (Beach)2Webster Lake WMA (Cartop / walk-in)31 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Cartop / walk-inBeach
  1. 1Griffin Beach
    Beach · Franklin
  2. 2Lagace Beach
    Beach · Franklin
  3. 3Webster Lake WMA
    Cartop / walk-in · Franklin

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 (43.4692, -71.6856). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Webster 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 Webster 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 Webster Lake

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

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

    Fish you can catch

    Rainbow trout ★Brown trout ★Smallmouth bassLargemouth bassChain pickerelBrown bullhead (horned pout)White perchBlack crappie

    ★ = stocked in 2026. Species list from NHFG Fishing Guide codes: RT, BT, SMB, LMB, ECP, BBH, WP, BC (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

    4 stocking trips in 2026, 3,800 fish in total.

    DateSpeciesFishLbsHatchery
    Apr 27, 2026Rainbow trout (1+ yr)1,500714Warren
    Apr 28, 2026Brown trout (1+ yr)500161Warren
    May 14, 2026Brown trout (1+ yr)1,300464Warren
    May 14, 2026Rainbow trout (1+ yr)500250Warren

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

    Pulled Oct 10, 2026.

    Fishing seasons & limits

    Statewide general rules Webster 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)
    TroutOpen water (ice-out to ice-in): 5 fish or 5 lb/day, no length limit. Through the ice: 2/day
    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

    3 public access sites listed.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Griffin BeachFranklinCity - FranklinBeach/PicnicGravelNo feeSwimming, Picnic, Restrooms
    Non-residents purchase beach permit from on-duty lifeguard; Access: Partial
    43.4679, -71.6760
    Lagace BeachFranklinCity - FranklinBeach/Ramp · Concrete log rampPavedNo feeBoating, Swimming, Picnic, Restrooms
    Nonresidents purchase beach permit from on-duty lifeguard; Access: Partial
    43.4587, -71.6791
    Webster Lake WMAFranklinState - NHFGWalk-inRoadsideNo feeFishing
    Access: Difficult
    43.4750, -71.6823

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

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

    Invasive species

    None documented NHDES lists no known invasive species in Webster 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

    2 beaches are 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
    Griffin BeachMonitoring Season CompletedAug 11, 2026left: 4.1, center: 11.0, right: 9.87/14-7/16Report
    LaGace BeachMonitoring Season CompletedAug 11, 2026left: 17.1, center: 7.2, right: 6.3None 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
    2 beaches on Webster Lake are sampled by NHDES; see Public beaches.

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

    Water quality

    Trophic classOligotrophic (clear, low-nutrient)
    Water quality classClass B (NH surface water classification)
    NHDES lake surveys1979, 1993
    Volunteer monitoringPart of the NHDES Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (VLAP)
    Fish consumptionNHDES mercury report for Webster Lake

    NHDES Lake Information Mapper

    Contact & official info

    Lakes & ponds nearby

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