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

• Overview

  You will find Spruce Lake in Saint John County, New Brunswick. The water sits 60 metres up. It measures about 82 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. On our Saint John County list it sits near the top for size. 5.5 km away sits Lancaster, the nearest town. The nearest city of size is Dartmouth, 214 km away. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Spruce Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Saint John County include alewife, Atlantic salmon and rainbow smelt. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The shape of Spruce Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 17°C at the top of summer and -8°C at the bottom of winter. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near mid December. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Spruce Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. For salmon, swing spoons or flies through the moving water and mind the local method rules. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Ludgate Lake is 1.8 km off. Check the current arrangement for Spruce Lake.