Big Lake in English Harbour East: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Big Lake is an English Harbour East water, Newfoundland and Labrador side. It sits 8 km in from the sea. At 1.14 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. You are looking at roughly 10 km of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. On our English Harbour East list it sits near the top for size. Placentia sits 60 km from the bank. Beyond it, Marystown at 61 km and Burin at 70 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Big Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in English Harbour East include bull-rout. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Big Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, August reads 16°C and February reads -6°C. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The season between ice runs from about late April to mid December. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Big Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Gull Pond at 2.7 km is the sensible second choice. The position on Big Lake is worth confirming on the day.