Drain Lake near Springfield Lake: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  In Nova Scotia, Drain Lake belongs to Halifax Regional Municipality. The bank is 96 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 17 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The edge runs 2.4 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Springfield Lake is the closest place, 1.8 km off. After that come Upper Sackville at 2.1 km and Middle Sackville at 5.4 km. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Drain Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Halifax Regional Municipality: brook trout, alewife and rainbow smelt. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Treat Drain Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -6°C and August at about 18°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly mid December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Plan around that when you fish Drain Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Little Springfield Lake, 0.6 km out. Check the position at Drain Lake before loading the car.