Clements Lake, Nova Scotia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Clements Lake is a Hants water, Nova Scotia side. Tidal water begins 17 km from here. With some 32 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. There is roughly 4.2 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Size puts it in the front rank of our Hants list. Nearest town is Mount Uniacke, 6.7 km off. It is 30 km to Dartmouth, the nearest city. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Clements Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Reported across Hants: American eel, Atlantic salmon, striped bass, smallmouth bass and rainbow smelt. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Treat Clements Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 18°C and January at -6°C. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at mid December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Clements Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Marshy Lake, 0.7 km out. Check the position at Clements Lake before loading the car.