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Saco River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

The White Mountains’ river: the Saco runs trout and smallmouth from Crawford Notch to the Maine coast.

2/5
Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.
Flow
212 cfs
Air / High
79 / 79 F
Wind
NW 10 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 01064500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

2/5Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Saco River feels the season turning: shorter days, grouping fish. The river is running 212 cfs, on the rise. Today brings clear skies, wind NW around 10 mph, rising pressure near 1009 hPa and a high of 79. Water sits around 54 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 73 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Saco River near Conway.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 01064500.

205322438212 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp79 F
High / Low79 / 60 F
WindNW 10-15 mph
Pressure1008.7 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain23% cloud, 3%
Sunrise / Sunset06:11 / 19:15
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunset

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 79/60 F, wind 12 mph, rain 3%

Fair or better. A 12 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Saco River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the Saco River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Saco River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 69 F, wind to 5 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 69 F, wind to 5 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 77 F, wind to 6 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

New Hampshire requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

New Hampshire license (Maine license downstream). Trout and bass limits per current NH Fish and Game regulations.

Access

Route 302 pullouts through Crawford Notch and Conway; state land and commercial campgrounds along the river.

About this water

A 136-mile river from the White Mountains to the Atlantic at Saco, Maine, through Carroll County, New Hampshire.

Fishing Saco River: the full guide

A mountain river

The Saco River rises in Crawford Notch in New Hampshire’s White Mountains and flows about 136 miles to the Atlantic at Saco, Maine. Its upper reaches through the notch and Conway run as cold trout water over sand and rock; the middle river warms and holds smallmouth bass; and the lower Maine reaches add pike and, in season, striped bass in the tidal water.

Trout in the notch

The upper Saco through Crawford Notch and around North Conway holds brook, brown and rainbow trout, stocked and wild, in classic mountain water. Nymphs, dries and small streamers produce, with spring and fall best. Sandy stretches and the river’s tendency to shift channels after floods make it a river that changes between visits.

Smallmouth and the float

From Conway downstream the river warms into smallmouth water, popular with canoe and tube floaters in summer: fish early or on weekdays to avoid the recreational traffic that the sandy beaches attract. Smallmouth hold the deeper pools, rock and wood, taking tubes, small crankbaits and topwater on light tackle.

Carroll County logistics

Access is straightforward via Route 302 through the notch and Conway, with numerous pullouts, state land and commercial campgrounds along the river. North Conway provides every service. Flows rise fast with mountain rain and snowmelt, and the river can change character after major floods, which have reshaped it repeatedly.

Common questions

Where are the trout?

The upper river through Crawford Notch and around North Conway: cold mountain water with stocked and wild fish.

Is it crowded?

In summer with tubers and canoes on the sandy middle reaches: fish early, weekdays or the upper trout water.

Does the river change?

Yes: major floods have repeatedly reshaped its sandy channels, so structure differs between visits.

Is fishing good at Saco River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Nearby waters

Squam Lake27 miSebago Lake29 miLake Winnipesaukee30 miPemigewasset River33 miNewfound Lake41 miRapid River53 mi
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