Having fished Lake Winnisquam, in Laconia, New Hampshire, for many years, it was a sad day when Sarge’s Country Store went out of business. They provided, for a small fee, a decent public access, with parking, to this wonderful, long 4,264 acre lake. The lake contains a variety of fish species, including salmon, lake trout, rainbow trout, bass, pickerel and white perch and yellow perch. When Sarge’s Country Store closed, the land and launch site was closed to all the public. After all these years, some good news concerning public access to the lake has finally arrived.

According to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, the Department of Administrative Services Bureau of Public Works has signed a contract with M.E. Latulippe Construction, Inc., of Ashland, N.H. for the construction of a new double ramp boat access facility on Lake Winnisquam, in Laconia. The contract was authorized by Governor John Lynch and the Executive Council last week. The contract will cover construction of a double ramp boat access facility, a parking area for 36 vehicles and trailers, an entrance road, staging area, ramps, seasonal floating dock, timber wharfs for temporary tie up, landscaping, fencing, lighting, signage and a kiosk. The new facility will also have many features to allow access for individuals with disabilities.

Lake Winnisquam, courtesy of Lakes Region Aerials

Fish and Game Executive Director, Lee Perry, said, "We are extremely pleased that we are ready to break ground on this project, which will provide excellent access to Lake Winnisquam for anglers and boaters. We especially want to thank the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, the city of Laconia, the Winnisquam Association, the Public Water Access Advisory Board, abutting landowners and many others who have contributed to and supported this cooperative effort."

The Winnisquam public boating access facility will be built on state-owned property, off Water Street, in Laconia. Construction of the site is expected to begin soon and the boat ramp is expected to open in the Spring of 2008. Boaters will not be able to utilize the site until that time. In the meantime, Martel’s Bait Shop will continue to allow public use of their ramp for a fee, with Fish and Game providing free parking in close proximity. The new site will be the first state-owned and operated public boat access on the lake. There were a total of 15 launch sites on the lake in 1950.

According to Fish and Game, the award of the building contract culminates a planning process that began in 2004, when former Governor Craig Benson reached an agreement with Ralph Langevin, owner of Martel’s Bait Shop, to re-open Martel’s boat ramp (which had previously been closed, leaving no public boat access to Lake Winnisquam) to the public while the state proceeded with the development of a state-owned public facility. Since then, a team of people representing state agencies, the city of Laconia and various organizations have worked collaboratively to evaluate, plan and develop the site.

Over the planning period, potential issues related to hazardous waste, historic resources, wetlands and threatened and endangered species have been addressed. All the necessary grants and permits were secured. The N.H. Department of Environmental Services and the city of Laconia have transferred interest in the new site to the N.H. Fish and Game Department. Surplus buildings have been removed and preliminary site work has been accomplished.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s public boat access projects are funded through a combination of Federal Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration program monies from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a $5 surcharge fee placed on New Hampshire boating registrations. Unfortunately, kayakers and canoers pay no fees to help out, but yet they will use these boat launch sites at no cost to them and some may complain bitterly if asked to pay a fee to help. In the meantime, they should thank the rest of the boaters who do pay fees on their registrations so that they and all will have a place to access various water bodies.

I look forward to the opening of the site next year, as I am sure will many readers who would like to utilize Lake Winnisquam. The new public launch site on the lake is truly a step in the right direction that has been long overdue.