Fox Back Lake Fishing near Ingonish, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  Fox Back Lake lies in Victoria County, in Nova Scotia. The shore lies 9.4 km out. At about 19 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. A shoreline of some 2.4 km keeps the choices simple. Compared with other Nova Scotia water on our list, it sits high. Nearest place of any size is Ingonish, 25 km away. The nearest city of size is Sydney, 85 km away. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Fox Back Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Victoria County cover Atlantic salmon, striped bass, alewife and brook trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Fox Back Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 16°C, the coldest about -9°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. Climate figures give an open season running early May to early December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Fox Back Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Muskrat Lake, 0.8 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Where Fox Back Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.