Burton Lake Fishing near Ingonish, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  Set in Victoria County, Nova Scotia, this is Burton Lake. It lies 372 metres above sea level. Surface area runs to about 10 hectares — small enough to read in one session. Around 1.9 km of margin, front to back. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Nova Scotia listings. The nearest town is Ingonish, 19 km away. Florence is 66 km and Sydney Mines 70 km. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Burton Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Open biodiversity records for Victoria County list Atlantic salmon, striped bass, alewife, brook trout and American eel. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Burton Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -9°C to 16°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about early December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Time your trip to Burton Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Pute Lake at 1 km is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about Burton Lake if anything is unclear.