CONCORD – New Hampshire Lottery Commission Chairman Richard Campbell Jr. didn’t pick a random date for his resignation. He timed it to May 1, when he thinks the ice will be out on First Connecticut Lake in Pittsburgh, where he has a camp.

“It’s time to go fishing,” the 70-year-old chairman said Thursday.

Campbell, who has been on the lottery commission nearly 11 years and its chairman for just over half that time, submitted his letter of resignation to Gov. John Lynch earlier this week. He cited no reason in his two-sentence note.

Campbell is an advocate of expanding the state’s gaming options to increase revenues. It’s a controversial topic, but Campbell said disputes over gambling options and revenues had nothing to do with his decision.

“No, we’ve had those (disputes) before,” Campbell said. “Those come up every legislative session.”

Campbell, a retired state trooper, is stepping down just before the agency undergoes a major computer conversion July 1. A similar conversion occurred about the time he joined the commission just over 10 years ago.

“It did not go all that well,” he recalled.

Campbell said he’s proud of the success the state has had with Powerball during his tenure. “We brought up the revenue to around $85 million at one time. Since the recession, it’s been sliding.”

Colin Manning, spokesman for Lynch, said the governor has yet to consider candidates to succeed Campbell.