Grassy Lake near Red Head: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  The Saint John County end of New Brunswick holds Grassy Lake. Height above sea level is 83 metres. The water covers some 13 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The full circuit measures close to 1.7 km on foot. Red Head is the closest town at 12 km. Silver Falls lies 14 km off, Forest Hills another 14 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Grassy Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Saint John County, recorded fish include alewife, Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt, American shad and American eel. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Grassy Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 18°C in July and bottoms out near -8°C in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about mid December in an average year. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Plan any trip to Grassy Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For salmon, swing spoons or flies through the moving water and mind the local method rules. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Browns Lake is 1.4 km off. Treat access at Grassy Lake as something to verify.