Jardine Lake, New Brunswick: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Jardine Lake is one of the Kent County waters in New Brunswick. It lies 6 metres above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 10 hectares, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. The edge runs 1.2 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. It is low-lying compared with other New Brunswick water we list. Some 5.2 km away sits Richibucto, the nearest settlement. For a city, Dartmouth is 249 km off. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Jardine Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Time trips to the tide table rather than the clock here. 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. Records held for Kent County cover American eel, striped bass, rainbow smelt, brook trout and white perch. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The near bank of Jardine Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 19°C in July and bottom out at -9°C in January. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The open-water window runs from around late April to about early December in an average year. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Expect Jardine Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Geddes Lake is 12 km distant. What applies at Jardine Lake may have changed since it was mapped.