New Hampshire's Largest Artificial Lake Is A Fishing Paradise With Mountain Views And Boating

Stretching along the Connecticut River, Moore Reservoir features a large expanse of water for boating and fishing. Its forested surroundings and mountain scenery offer a different kind of waterfront experience from the nearly 1,000 other glacial swimming holes, ponds, and natural lakes found elsewhere across New Hampshire.

The Connecticut River is the longest in New England. It flows more than 400 miles from the Canadian border, between New Hampshire and Vermont, through Massachusetts and Connecticut, and down to the Long Island Sound. Along the way, it passes between Littleton, New Hampshire, and Waterford, Vermont. That's where the New England Power Company started building the Samuel C. Moore Dam in the 1930s. It took more than two decades for the project, which created the largest hydroelectric plant in New England, to be completed.

The hydroelectric plant wasn't the only thing this dam produced, though. It formed Moore Reservoir, an 11-mile-long body of water that covers nearly 3,500 acres and is up to 120 feet deep, making it the state's largest artificial lake. In addition to outdoor recreation, it offers stunning views of the mountains — New Hampshire's White Mountains to the east and Vermont's Green Mountains to the west.

Moore Reservoir, with its usually calm water, is well-suited to boating. With numerous boat launches along the edge of the water, including five on the New Hampshire side, it's easy to access the reservoir. Near the Moore Dam, the Moore Dam Visitor Center offers free trailer parking, restrooms, and picnic sites. If the visitor center is crowded, you can check out the nearby Pattenville Picnic Area. It has a concrete boat ramp, as well as an expanded barbecue area that features built-in grills and fireplaces. Then, farther north, you'll find additional water access at the Dodge Hill Boat Ramp and the North Littleton Picnic Area, both of which offer scenic vistas over the lake's forested shoreline and distant mountains.

Once you've chosen your entry point, it's finally time to take your boat out. In accordance with New Hampshire laws, boats must travel at no-wake speed near the shoreline, structures, and people. Once you're in open water, you'll find that the reservoir's water levels fluctuate greatly due to the dam, so it's important to continue to remain cautious.

Boating isn't the only water sport allowed on Moore Reservoir. Personal watercraft like jet ski are also permitted, while paddlers are welcome to bring canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards. If you don't have your own, North Country Kayak rents kayaks and paddleboards near the Dodge Hill Boat Ramp. They offer guided tours, including ones during sunset and fall foliage, as well.

Boating and paddling enthusiasts aren't the only people who love Moore Reservoir. Anglers do, too. You can go fishing year-round from either a boat or along the edge of the water, since the lake has almost 30 miles of shoreline. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department stocks Moore Reservoir with rainbow trout every year. You can also cast for smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, and perch here. Plus, in the winter, this section of the Connecticut River is known as a great spot to fish for pike if you want to go ice fishing.

Since Moore Reservoir straddles the borders of New Hampshire and Vermont, you must follow the fishing and license regulations for both states. If it's your first time fishing on the Connecticut River, you might want to consider hiring a guide. White Mountain Anglers offers half- and full-day drift boat trips along Moore Reservoir to cast for trout and pike.

Moore Reservoir is only 70 miles north of Lebanon Municipal Airport (LEB), a small airport that receives nonstop flights from Boston and White Plains, in the New York City area. For additional flight options, you should check out the larger Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport (BTV), Vermont's charming and overlooked airport, which is less than 100 miles west of Moore Reservoir. Moore Reservoir is about a 10-minute drive from both Littleton, New Hampshire, a town that's both a shopping hub and outdoor haven, and Waterford, Vermont, a cozy New England mountain town with photogenic buildings.