Fishing Pirate Lake in York County, New Brunswick

• Overview

  This water sits in York County, New Brunswick. The surface lies 184 metres up. It measures about 12 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. There is roughly 1.4 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. The nearest town is McAdam, 30 km away. Beyond it, Lakeland Ridges at 31 km and Hodgdon at 41 km. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Pirate Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in York County include smallmouth bass, Atlantic salmon, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Pirate Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 19°C at the top of summer and -10°C at the bottom of winter. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly early December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. The season on Pirate Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Musquash Lake, 3.1 km away. Nothing here settles the position at Pirate Lake for certain.