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

• Overview

  Patchell Lake lies within the bounds of Saint John County, New Brunswick. The sea is 5.5 km distant. Roughly 13 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Bank access stretches around 3.0 km in total. The nearest place of any size is Lancaster, 7 km away. The big place round here is Dartmouth, 218 km distant. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Patchell Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public occurrence data for Saint John County names 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. The shape of Patchell Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August to average close to 18°C, with January the cold end at about -9°C. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about mid December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. That is the shape of the year on Patchell Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Salmon and sea-run fish answer to spoons and spinners where lure fishing is allowed; check the method rules first. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Carr Lake at 1 km is the nearest alternative. Signs at Patchell Lake carry more weight than any list.