Little Lake Fishing near Stellarton, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  In Nova Scotia, Little Lake belongs to Pictou County. The sea is 26 km distant. Surface area runs to about 3 hectares — small enough to read in one session. Most waters listed here for Pictou County are larger. Nearest town is Stellarton, 20 km off. Dartmouth is the closest city, 111 km away. Neighbouring water: Maple Lake some 1.2 km off, Hood Lake (3.3 km), Long Lake some 4 km off, Duck Lake (4.2 km) and Tim Lake some 5.1 km off. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Little Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Open biodiversity records for Pictou County list American eel, rainbow smelt, alewife, Atlantic salmon and striped bass. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Little Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 18°C at the top of summer and -7°C at the bottom of winter. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about mid December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Time your trip to Little Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Maple Lake sits 1.2 km off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Little Lake before loading the car.