Fishing at Pats Lake, Saint John County, New Brunswick

• Overview

  The Saint John County end of New Brunswick holds Pats Lake. What surrounds it is lake country bush. At 3 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Saint John County. The town to know is Fundy-St. Martins, 1.5 km out. It is 169 km to Dartmouth, the nearest city. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Pats Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. County-wide records name alewife, Atlantic salmon and rainbow smelt. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Take Pats Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 17°C for July and -9°C for January. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about early December in a typical year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan around that when you fish Pats Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For salmon, swing spoons or flies through the moving water and mind the local method rules. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Rody Lake at 2 km is the nearest alternative. The position on Pats Lake is worth confirming on the day.