Cape Pond in Antigonish County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Antigonish County, Cape Pond is a Nova Scotia water. The shore lies 0.6 km out. At about 11 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Around 2.2 km of margin, front to back. Nearest town is Port Hawkesbury, 18 km off. The big place round here is Sydney, 118 km distant. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Cape Pond

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Salt or brackish and tidal: fish the flow, rest at slack, and watch the mud on a falling tide. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Antigonish County records list American eel, striped bass and brook trout among the fish reported. On Cape Pond the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, August reads 18°C and February reads -7°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about late December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Cape Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Jacksons Lake sits 7.7 km off and takes the overflow. For Cape Pond in particular, ask before you travel.