Bell Lake Fishing near Bel Ayr Park, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  Nova Scotia holds Bell Lake, in Halifax Regional Municipality. It lies 97 metres above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 10 hectares, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Nearest place of any size is Bel Ayr Park, 0.3 km away. After that come Nantucket at 0.4 km and Ellenvale at 0.9 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Bell Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. 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. Open biodiversity records for Halifax Regional Municipality list brook trout, alewife, rainbow smelt, American eel and Atlantic salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Bell Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 18°C at the top of summer and -5°C at the bottom of winter. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near mid December: that is the shape of an average year. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Bell Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Parking is mapped about 340 m from the bank. There is a pier recorded roughly 270 m away. A toilet block sits 600 m away. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Settle Lake at 0.6 km is the nearest alternative. Confirm before you fish Bell Lake.