Fishing at Big Ass Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  The Halifax Regional Municipality entry here is Big Ass Lake, in Nova Scotia. The coast is 18 km away. The water covers some 15 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The whole outline is near 3.0 km, and most of it is walkable. The closest town, Musquodoboit Harbour, is 23 km away. Further out sit Porters Lake (36 km) and Stewiacke (40 km). It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Big Ass Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Halifax Regional Municipality cover brook trout, alewife, rainbow smelt, American eel and Atlantic salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Anyone new to Big Ass Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 18°C on average, January about -6°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at mid December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan around that when you fish Big Ass Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Little Mud Lake is 1.1 km off. Signs at Big Ass Lake carry more weight than any list.