Bonnell Lake Fishing in Saint John County, New Brunswick

• Overview

  Set in Saint John County, Bonnell Lake is a New Brunswick water. The ground around here is mixed forest. Small at around 2 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. On size it sits at the modest end of our Saint John County list. Supplies mean a trip to Lancaster, 4.5 km off. The nearest city of size is Dartmouth, 215 km away. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Bonnell Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Open biodiversity records for Saint John County list alewife, Atlantic cod, Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt and American shad. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Bonnell Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -9°C in January to roughly 18°C in August. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly mid December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. That shapes the year on Bonnell Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. The closest car park is 1.4 km away, so pack accordingly. For salmon, swing spoons or flies through the moving water and mind the local method rules. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Red Bridge Lake, 1.2 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat Bonnell Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.