Raft Pond in English Harbour East: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Raft Pond in English Harbour East, Newfoundland and Labrador. The land about it is mixed forest. With some 44 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The full circuit measures close to 4.3 km on foot. Nearest place of any size is Marystown, 57 km away. Further out sit Harbour Breton (65 km) and Burin (67 km). The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Raft Pond

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. English Harbour East records list bull-rout among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Raft Pond the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -7°C to 16°C. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. On average, late April opens the water and mid December closes it again. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. On Raft Pond that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Youngs West Pond is 2.3 km off. Check the current arrangement for Raft Pond.