Fishing at Kent Lake, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  The Guysborough County end of Nova Scotia holds Kent Lake. The bank is 86 metres above sea level. It covers about 6 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. For supplies, Antigonish is 33 km out. The big place round here is Dartmouth, 142 km distant. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Kent Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Across Guysborough County, recorded fish include alewife, American eel, brook trout, Atlantic salmon and blueback herring. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Read Kent Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August to average close to 18°C, with February the cold end at about -6°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Kent Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Cranberry Lake sits 1.9 km off and takes the overflow. For Kent Lake in particular, ask before you travel.