Kelp Shade Pond near Marystown: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Kelp Shade Pond is one of the Red Harbour waters in Newfoundland and Labrador. Elevation runs to 193 metres. Roughly 50 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The bank runs about 4.9 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Size puts it in the front rank of our Red Harbour list. Start from Marystown, 24 km down the road. After that come Burin at 34 km and Harbour Breton at 57 km. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Kelp Shade Pond

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Kelp Shade Pond gives up more to patience than to distance. Bright sun pushes fish under whatever cover exists.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 16°C and February near -6°C. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at mid December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Time your trip to Kelp Shade Pond by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Northwest Pond is 2.6 km off. Check the current arrangement for Kelp Shade Pond.