The History of Three Rivers Stocking

Around the year 2000, at the initiative of Great Bay Trout Unlimited, the NH Fish and Game Department made a rule change that opened the Lamprey River to allow a fall and winter recreational trout fishing season. That rule change initiated GBTU’s stocking of the Lamprey River at Wiswall and Packers Falls Dams.

Over the years, GBTU continued to stock the Lamprey River, and later the Cocheco and Isinglass Rivers.  GBTU also sought to gradually change the state regulations, from keeping five fish or five pounds to the following the current rules of artificial lures only, single barbless hook, and catch and release; C&R season being from October 16th to the 4th Saturday in April of the following year.

In early 2008, GBTU discontinued its fall recreational stocking program. The decision was made in order to concentrate GBTU’s financial resources on more defined conservation related matters in line with its stated mission. Faced with a loss of this highly popular stocking program, five local anglers joined forces and formed a nonprofit whose purpose was to obtain donations to continue stocking the three rivers.

In 2017 we began stocking a section of the Exeter River covered by the same special fall/winter regulations that protect the other areas that we stock. As the support for this river has increased so has the number of fish stocked. It is proving to be a popular location for our local anglers.

In 2018 we formed a partnership with Northeast Passage to provide volunteers so that they could start a chapter of Project Healing Waters. Since then we have had many supporters volunteer to help veterans with Striper fishing, fly casting, fly tying, and even trout fishing on the rivers we stock.