Cardigan Lake Fishing in Kings County, New Brunswick

• Overview

  Set in Kings County, New Brunswick, this is Cardigan Lake. It stands 239 metres above sea level. You can fish the entire water from one spot if you pick it well. It is a small entry by Kings County standards. Sussex Corner is the closest place, 17 km off. After that come Sussex at 19 km and Penobsquis at 20 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Cardigan Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name alewife, Atlantic salmon, yellow perch and brook trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Cardigan Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 17°C on average, January about -9°C. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about early December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. It sets the rhythm of the year at Cardigan Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. The nearest car park we can see is 1 km out, so expect a walk with your gear. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Some banks are open only from a marked point. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Walton Lake, 0.9 km out. The position on Cardigan Lake is worth confirming on the day.