Croft Lake Fishing near Chester, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  Croft Lake belongs to Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. Land around it is mixed forest. It covers about 7 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Chester sits 6.8 km from here and is the nearest stop. Mahone Bay follows at 14 km, then Lunenburg at 20 km. Also worth knowing: 1.8 km away is Beaverdam Ponds, Backman Lake lies 2.1 km on, 3 km away is Hutt Lake, Clarke Lake lies 3.5 km on and 4.4 km away is Vaughans Lake. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Croft Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Lunenburg County include American eel, Atlantic whitefish and smallmouth bass. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Croft Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -5°C to 18°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early April. Climate figures give an open season running early April to late December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Croft Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. You will be walking about 1 km from the nearest car park. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Beaverdam Ponds is 1.8 km off. Check the current arrangement for Croft Lake.