Nelson Lake in Saint John County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Nelson Lake falls in Saint John County, part of New Brunswick. Height above sea level is 58 metres. With some 70 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Size puts it in the front rank of our Saint John County list. The closest town, Grand Bay-Westfield, is 7 km distant. The nearest city of size is Dartmouth, 221 km away. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Nelson Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Public occurrence data for Saint John County names alewife, Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt, American shad and American eel. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Treat Nelson Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 18°C and January near -9°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Open water usually runs from mid April until about early December. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. That is the shape of the year on Nelson Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Salmon and sea-run fish answer to spoons and spinners where lure fishing is allowed; check the method rules first. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Mud Lake at 1.1 km is the sensible second choice. Treat Nelson Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.