Fishing Island Pond in Old Perlican, Newfoundland and Labrador

• Overview

  Set in Old Perlican, Newfoundland and Labrador, this is Island Pond. The coast is 2.2 km away. Surface area runs to about 8 hectares — small enough to read in one session. Head to Victoria, 33 km away, for anything you forgot. St. John's is the closest city, 58 km away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Island Pond

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name Atlantic cod, polar cod and capelin. The county list is broader than any single water. Island Pond repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August to average close to 16°C, with February the cold end at about -6°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near mid December: that is the shape of an average year. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Anyone fishing Island Pond regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Iron Box Pond is 0.4 km off. Where Island Pond is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.