Feely Lake Fishing near Middle Sackville, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  The Halifax Regional Municipality entry here is Feely Lake, in Nova Scotia. The country here is lake country bush. It measures about 11 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Shoreline comes to about 1.6 km, small enough to learn in a day. Middle Sackville sits 2.6 km from here and is the nearest stop. It is 17 km to Dartmouth, the nearest city. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Feely Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Public occurrence data for Halifax Regional Municipality names brook trout, alewife, rainbow smelt and American eel. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Feely Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 18°C, while January sits near -6°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Feely Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. The closest car park is 740 m away, so pack accordingly. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Little Lake sits 0.8 km off and takes the overflow. Where Feely Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.