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Should I go fishing?
Check the water temperature first.
Water temperature is unconfirmed. Use a stream thermometer; stop trout fishing at 70°F or warmer, or sooner if fish show stress.
Fishing rating73
Rating updatedRiver local time:
Why this recommendation?
USGS shows 524 cfs. The flow has been falling about 41% over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1903-2025, 100 readings) show a median near 1,090 cfs and a low-water marker near 562 cfs; today's flow is unusually low for the date. Low water can make fish spooky, warm, pressured, or concentrated; check temperature and handling risk.
Available live dataHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Confidence in this recommendationMediumWater temperature not verified; do not use this score to clear warm-water risk.
Usually checks again about every 45 minutes
If you go
- Check first
- Use the Franklin Junction flow before planning a wade or float.
- Try
- Use the Franklin gauge for upper-river planning, then inspect the actual reach before wading.
- Leave when
- Skip wading when the river is high, rising, cold and pushy, dam-influenced, or warm enough that trout handling is poor. Switch targets or choose smaller water.
Flow and weather
Showing server-checked river conditions while current readings refresh.
- Flow
- 524 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air forecast
- 52°F
- Next 24h high
- 76.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 0%
This is an air forecast, not a river-temperature reading. Check the water with a stream thermometer before fishing in hot weather.
Latest stored weather check
Clear
- Wind
- 0 mph
- Weather checked
More forecast and source details
Clear
National Weather Service
Merrimack River at Franklin Junction
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: Merrimack River at Franklin Junction
Flies for this time of year
Seasonal starting points, not a live hatch report. Match what you see on the water.
- Clouser Deep MinnowClouserView fly guide ↗
- Chocklett's Game Changersmall game changerView fly guide ↗
- Soft-Hackle Wet Fliessoft hackleView fly guide ↗
- Leech Patternssmall leechView fly guide ↗
See flies for every season
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
April to May
What to look forEarly trout hatches, baitfish movement, crayfish, and warming smallmouth flats
June to August
What to look forCaddis, damselflies, dragonflies, hoppers, minnows, crayfish
Flies to try
PoppersBass and Panfish Popper Patterns→foam hopperGrasshopper Patterns→baitfish streamerBaitfish and Minnow Patterns→
Also try sliders, damselfly nymph
September to OctoberThis season
What to look forCooling-water baitfish, late caddis, crayfish, fall streamer windows
Cold months
What to look forLimited surface feeding; slower holes and warm afternoons matter most
Flies to try
Slow leechLeech Patterns→jig streamerTrout Streamer Patterns→small baitfishBaitfish and Minnow Patterns→
Also try nymph under indicator
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
More fishing tips
Methods, fish species and trip notes
How to fish Merrimack River today.
A stable-flow day with moderate temperatures gives the most options. High water makes wading risky, and summer heat should push anglers toward smallmouth, shaded margins, or a colder trout stream.
Moderate flow
Fish seams, ledges, island tails, and bank soft water.
High flow
Do not force wading. Fish protected edges or use a boat plan only if safe.
Warm water
Target bass and warmwater species instead of trout.
Clear low water
Use longer casts, smaller streamers, and low-profile approaches.
Wading, bank fishing or floating?
Access choicesNo single best option
Wading, Bank fishing, and Floating have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
Wading73/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
Bank fishing73/100
Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.
Floating73/100
A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.
Full river report
Is Merrimack River worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for New Hampshire before you go.
The Merrimack is a broad river, not a small trout stream. Around Franklin it can offer coldwater windows and mixed fishing, while downstream reaches often make more sense for smallmouth and larger-river streamer tactics.
Fishing words used on this page
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gauge
- A USGS gauge is an official river station that measures flow or water height.
- Cubic feet per second (cfs)
- Cubic feet per second, or cfs, shows how much water passes the gauge each second.
- Nymph
- A nymph is a young water insect. Anglers also use the word for a fly that copies it.
- Seam
- A seam is the line where fast and slow water meet.
- Blue-winged olive (BWO)
- Blue-winged olives, or BWOs, are small mayflies that often hatch in cool or cloudy weather.
- Caddis
- Caddis are small water insects. The adults look a little like tiny moths.
- Emerger
- An emerger copies an insect as it rises from below the water toward the surface.
- Indicator
- An indicator is a small floating marker that can show when a fish takes an underwater fly.
- River reach
- A reach is one named section of a river or stream.
- Soft hackle
- A soft-hackle fly has moving fibers that can look like an insect rising through the water.
Why this call
Why this score
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 524 cfs. The flow has been falling about 41% over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1903-2025, 100 readings) show a median near 1,090 cfs and a low-water marker near 562 cfs; today's flow is unusually low for the date. Low water can make fish spooky, warm, pressured, or concentrated; check temperature and handling risk.
SeasonHelps
Fall: Cooling water, baitfish movement, streamers, and mixed-species days.
WeatherHelps
The current NWS air forecast is about 52F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 76F. Clear.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Fishing usefulnessHelps
Skip wading when the river is high, rising, cold and pushy, dam-influenced, or warm enough that trout handling is poor. Switch targets or choose smaller water.
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use RiverReports and USGS 01081500 at Franklin Junction for the upper-river trend, then match that reading to the exact reach, dam influence, boat traffic, and wind.
Skip wading when the river is high, rising, cold and pushy, dam-influenced, or warm enough that trout handling is poor. Switch targets or choose smaller water.
Start at the Franklin flow, check NH rules and weather, then decide whether to fish trout seams, smallmouth ledges, bank structure, or a boat-access reach.
If the Merrimack is too high, warm, windy, or access-complicated, compare Mascoma, Saco, or Androscoggin depending on whether trout or warmwater fishing is the goal.
Merrimack River access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter.
Before you go
Check New Hampshire freshwater rules, seasons, species limits, and any local reach rules before fishing the Merrimack.
Where to access the river
Franklin Junction gauge reach
Primary flow reference for upper Merrimack planning.
Concord area
Mixed warmwater fly-fishing with larger-river access decisions.
Manchester and lower reaches
More urban, warmwater, and access-specific planning.
- The Merrimack has public launches and parks, but legal wade access is section-by-section.
- Urban and dam-influenced reaches can change quickly. Avoid fishing below structures without checking safety.
- Warmwater fly fishing is often a better summer plan than forcing trout tactics.
Sources and report details
Official agencies and primary river operators come first. Secondary tools are labeled so you know what carries the most weight.
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
See all 8 checked sources
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
What this source covers
Open this page for stocking or fish population information.
How this report was checked
How this report was checked
Reviewed byBlueStreamFly River Review Team
Trip guidance checked
What was checked: This report is maintained from current regulation, access, flow, weather, and public planning sources so anglers can make better trip decisions than a raw gauge or generic overview would allow.
Live measurements and forecasts keep their provider timestamps. Rules, access, and trip guidance use the source-review date shown here. BlueStreamFly planning advice is editorial interpretation, not an agency notice.
First-hand experience: BlueStreamFly does not claim a first-hand visit or local field test for this report unless a real contributor is explicitly named and linked.
Quick questions
What should I check first before fishing the Merrimack River?
Check RiverReports or USGS at Franklin Junction, water temperature, NH rules, weather, and the exact access point.
Are there special fishing rules on the Merrimack River?
Yes. Rules depend on species and reach, so use the current NH freshwater digest.
What flies should I bring for the Merrimack River?
Bring the hatch-chart flies, a few confidence nymphs, and a streamer or warmwater box that matches the river's species. Then adjust for water temperature, clarity, and the insects or baitfish you actually see.
Can I wade the Merrimack River?
Some sections can be waded at moderate flows, but the Merrimack is big water. Use the gauge and avoid unsafe crossings.
When should I skip the Merrimack River?
Skip it when flows are unsafe, water is too warm for trout, emergency closures are active, or legal access for the reach is not clear.