I live in western mass. The biggest thing is you need to leave everything else home for a while till you get confidence. The baits i have had the best luck with are:
Mattlures hardgill
Pat's Perch
MS slammers
3:16 wake Jr.
Realprey Golden Shiner and Alewife
You have to realize that you are not going to get bit on the big baits every single time you go out. Some times you go several trips not getting bit, but then you have a day when you catch five fish over 4 or 5 pounds, at least that has been my experience.
Where in NH are you? Gonna be a few months before you can throw any baits unless you jig them through the ice.