Beech Hill Lake Fishing near Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  Beech Hill Lake sits in Guysborough County, out in Nova Scotia. It sits at 74 metres above sea level. Around 12 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The edge runs 1.4 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Port Hawkesbury lies 45 km from the water. It is 149 km to Sydney, the nearest city. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Beech Hill Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Guysborough County: alewife, American eel and brook trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Fish Beech Hill Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 18°C on average, February about -6°C. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about late December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. That is the shape of the year on Beech Hill Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Little Beech Hill Lake is 0.8 km off. Rules at Beech Hill Lake are worth checking on the day.