Fishing at Lower Salter Lake, Hants, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  Set in Hants, Lower Salter Lake is a Nova Scotia water. Country round the bank runs to mixed forest. The water measures roughly 6 hectares, so nothing here is far from anything else. Start from Windsor, 19 km down the road. Further out sit Hantsport (25 km) and Wolfville (27 km). Close neighbours run: Upper Salter Lake (1.1 km), Bills Lake some 2.1 km off, Chain Lake (3.9 km), Five Island Lake some 4 km off and Upper Chain Lake (4.1 km). There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lower Salter Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Hants, recorded fish include American eel, Atlantic salmon, striped bass and smallmouth bass. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The shape of Lower Salter Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 18°C; the cold one sits at -6°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly mid December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lower Salter Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Upper Salter Lake at 1.1 km is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Lower Salter Lake before loading the car.