▸ Exam Preparation · NH Fish & Game
NH Fishing Guide License
Study Guide
A structured preparation guide for the written exam, oral board, and certification requirements — optimized for Connecticut River fishing guides.
50-Question Written Exam
75% Passing Score
Oral Board: Pass/Fail
In-Person First Aid + CPR Required
RSA 215 — Guide Statutes
Process & Timeline
Understand the full sequence before beginning — the application windows are strict and testing takes months.
⚠ Application Windows Are Time-Gated
Applications are only accepted during specific windows each year. Missing the window means waiting for the next cycle. The next available cycle: June 1–30, 2026 → Written Exam July 28, 2026.
Step 1 — Before Applying
Complete In-Person First Aid & CPR
Must be classroom-style with physical demonstration of skills. Online certifications are explicitly rejected by NH F&G.
Red Cross, AHA, or equivalent classroom-based courses. Bring your current certifications with the application. Both must be current (not expired) at time of application.
Step 2 — Time-Sensitive
Submit Application During Open Window
Mail completed application + first aid/CPR cert copies + recommendations to NH F&G Law Enforcement Division, 11 Hazen Dr., Concord NH 03301.
A criminal background check is conducted. Contact: law@wildlife.nh.gov | (603) 271-3127. Do not include license fee with application — it's paid after passing exams.
Step 3
Written Examination — 50 Questions, 75% to Pass
Conducted at NH F&G HQ in Concord. If you fail, you may retest after 60 days. A second failure means a 1-year wait.
Covers: NH fish & game laws, bag/size limits, federal regulations, guide/client law, fish/wildlife biology, life cycles, and NH geography.
Step 4
Oral Board Examination — Pass/Fail
Scheduled separately from the written exam. Failure allows retesting at the next available date — no extended waiting period.
Tests: map & compass, watercraft handling and regulations, safety protocols, rescue techniques, fish/animal/bird identification, and survival skills.
Step 5
Purchase License & Begin Guiding
After passing both exams, purchase the guide license through the NH F&G Licensing Division. License is annual.
Note: Guiding on White Mountain National Forest lands requires a separate USFS Outfitter-Guide permit — contact White Mountain NF at (603) 466-2713.
Strategic Tips for Efficiency
◆Get First Aid and CPR done first — they're blockers with no flexibility on format, and class schedules fill up.
◆Read the NH Freshwater Fishing Digest first, then RSA 215, then the Boater's Guide — in that priority order.
◆The written exam is 50 questions. At 75%, you can miss 12 and still pass — focus study on high-frequency domains (guide law, bag limits, regulations).
◆The oral board is pass/fail with no grade — the strategy is to not fail a single category. Map/compass and watercraft regs are the areas most applicants underestimate.
◆Consider NH Outdoor Learning Center's Guide School (2-day course) to pressure-test oral board readiness before applying.
◆The apprentice guide license (RSA 215, eff. Jan 2026) allows supervised guiding while studying — a legitimate path to on-the-water experience before the full exam.
Written Exam Study Domains
50 questions, 75% to pass. Click each domain to expand key facts and study notes.
Exam Format
50 questions at NH F&G HQ in Concord. Covers NH-specific law heavily — federal regs appear but are not the primary focus. For fishing guide applicants, biology and guide liability questions carry significant weight.
Oral Board Examination
Pass/fail. The board expects practical, confident answers — not recitation. Use these Q&As to drill the highest-risk categories.
▲ Map & Compass Is Non-Negotiable
NH F&G explicitly states: "Map and compass knowledge is a must for all guide license applicants." If you can't demonstrate triangulation and declination adjustment, you will not pass.
Fish & Species Identification
◆Be able to identify brook, brown, rainbow trout and landlocked salmon from physical description alone — differences in spot patterns and fin markings are commonly tested.
◆Know the difference between northern pike and chain pickerel (scale pattern, cheek scaling, spot shape).
◆Know anadromous vs. resident species in the CT River: American shad, Atlantic salmon, sea lamprey (anadromous); walleye, smallmouth, pike (resident).
◆Bird identification may be asked — know fishing-adjacent species: osprey, great blue heron, common merganser, common loon, belted kingfisher.
◆Know aquatic invasive species by appearance: milfoil, hydrilla, fanwort, water chestnut — and the decontamination protocols guides must follow.
NH Freshwater Fish Identification
The oral board requires identifying fish from descriptions or illustrations. Know markings, habitat, and distinguishing features cold.
Connecticut River Priority Species
For a CT River guide context, prioritize: smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, brown trout, rainbow trout, American shad, white perch, and channel catfish. These are the species your clients will most likely target.
Key Regulations Quick Reference
Memorize these general statewide limits — then verify waterbody-specific rules in the current NH digest. Always use the current year's digest for the actual exam.
⚠ Always Verify Against Current Digest
Regulations change annually. These figures reflect general NH rules as of 2025–2026 — confirm every limit against the current NH Freshwater Fishing Digest before the exam and before each guiding trip.
| Species | General Season | Daily Limit | Size Min. | Notes |
|---|
Connecticut River — Joint VT/NH Rules
◆VT resident and NH resident fishing licenses are both valid on the full shared river, including bays, setbacks, and tributaries up to the first highway bridge crossing.
◆Non-NH, non-VT residents must hold an NH nonresident license and may only fish east of the VT low-water mark.
◆Ice fishing on CT River: maximum 6 devices (vs. 8 on general inland NH waters).
◆Seasonal closure on the northern NH/VT border stretch near Canaan VT / Northumberland NH: Oct 16 – Dec 31.
◆Smallmouth bass on the CT River: open all year for catch-and-release during the closed harvest season.
◆A guide must carry both the NH Freshwater Fishing Digest AND Vermont Table 3 (CT River regs) when operating on the shared river.
Application & Exam Checklist
Track your progress through every requirement. Click items to mark complete.
COMPLETION — 0 of 17 items (0%)
Study Resources
Everything needed to pass, ranked by priority of study time invested.
Contacts
◆NH F&G Law Enforcement (guide licensing): law@wildlife.nh.gov | (603) 271-3127
◆NH F&G HQ (exam location): 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301
◆White Mountain NF (if guiding WMNF lands): (603) 466-2713
◆NH Marine Patrol (watercraft regs): nhsp.dos.nh.gov/marine-patrol
◆NH Outdoor Learning Center (prep school): nhoutdoorlearning.com