Fishing at Hat Pond, Spaniard's Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador

• Overview

  Hat Pond lies in Spaniard's Bay, in Newfoundland and Labrador. Land around it is rolling bush. Around 14 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. With about 1.6 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Nearest town is Spaniard's Bay, 4.2 km off. Then Bay Roberts, 6.2 km, and Upper Island Cove, 8.9 km. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Hat Pond

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Spaniard's Bay include American eel. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Read Hat Pond before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 16°C; the cold one sits at -5°C. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about late December. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Time your trip to Hat Pond by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Round Pond, 2.5 km away. Check the current arrangement for Hat Pond.