Fishing Old Sea in Holyrood, Newfoundland and Labrador

• Overview

  Out in Holyrood, Newfoundland and Labrador, sits Old Sea. The ground round it is mixed forest. Surface area runs to roughly 1.31 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. Around 9.3 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. Holyrood at 13 km is the nearest place to stop. Harbour Main-Chapel's Cove-Lakeview follows at 15 km, then Whitbourne at 28 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Old Sea

  Our records hold no depth for this water. 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. Fish documented in Holyrood include brook trout, American eel and Atlantic salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Fish Old Sea to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -5°C in February up to 16°C in August. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near late December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to Old Sea by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Tobins Pond, 3.1 km out. Signs at Old Sea carry more weight than any list.