Russell Pond, Newfoundland and Labrador: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  This water sits in Hare Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador. The shore lies 12 km out. At some 1.54 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. There is roughly 6.5 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. The nearest place of any size is Gambo, 17 km away. For a city, St. John's is 186 km off. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Russell Pond

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Hare Bay cover American eel and Atlantic salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The near bank of Russell Pond is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 16°C in July and bottoms out near -8°C in February. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. The season between ice runs from about late April to early December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Russell Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. For salmon, swing spoons or flies through the moving water and mind the local method rules. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Garys Steady at 4.8 km is the sensible second choice. Treat access at Russell Pond as something to verify.