River Open year-round

Merrimack River (Lowell)

Lowell, MA · about 45 min from Somerville (typical, off-peak)

The Merrimack from a named Lowell OFBA lot. Shad, bass, carp — not a secret brook.

Salt River / stream Lake / pond Shop (desk) Guide only Parking Stay State access Private — ask first

Season

Bass, carp, and most warmwater species are open year-round in Massachusetts. Shad have their own rules on the big rivers. Official rule

License

Massachusetts freshwater license

Park

OFBA Merrimack River ramp in Lowell. Riley Park in Lawrence and Chelmsford pins if you want another named lot.

Walk in

Short walk from the Lowell lot to public bank and ramp shore.

Wading

Big water. Shore fishing. Current below the dams.

Usual window

Shad in spring. Warmwater all year. After a flood, wait.

Wednesday conditions

Skinny water. Wind ? mph.

Sky: ⛅ 81° partly
Sun and moon: Rise 6:02 · 🌔 Waxing gibbous · Set 7:32
Wind at dawn: 0 mph · Sunny · 58°F
Wind later: dawn: 0 mph

10am: 0 mph

2pm: SW 2 mph

dusk: S 1 mph
Flow: 1230 cfs · skinny · 41.58 ft · 5:30 am · Merrimack River below Concord River at Lowell · USGS gauge · wadable band is a sketch, not a safety rating

A setup that belongs here

6- or 7-wt, shad fly, streamer, carp fly.

Notes

OFBA ramp. Urban big river. Stay off railroad and mill private. Confirm MassWildlife / DMF.

Maps Call shop

Log this trip

Private. On this phone, and in your test book if you signed in on Journal.

Shops

Concord Outfitters

113 Commonwealth Ave, Concord, MA 01742
Mon–Fri 10am–6pm (confirm before you go)

The MetroWest / Concord River shop. Call before a first trip on the Concord or Sudbury.

Call Website

Evening Sun Fly Shop

55 Groton St, Pepperell, MA 01463
Wed–Fri 4–7:30pm, Sat 9am–5pm, Sun 9am–2:30pm

Home shop for the Nissitissit and northern I-495 streams. Evening hours help if you work a day job.

Call Website

Guides

Shop desks, plus a few independents who fish public water. We do not take a cut. Call them.

Concord Outfitters — book a day

Concord, MA · wade / shore · Half or full day — ask the shop

Good for: MetroWest rivers and ponds, first local trout day

Shop desk, not a scraped independent. Call them; they put you with someone they trust.

Call the shop Website

Evening Sun — Nissitissit and 495

Pepperell, MA · wade · Ask the shop — evening hours help if you work

Good for: Small fly-only water, northern I-495

Home shop for the Nissitissit. They know who should be on that stretch.