MacGillivrays Lake near Antigonish: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Look for MacGillivrays Lake in Antigonish County, Nova Scotia. The shore lies 19 km out. This is a pocket water of some 3 hectares, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Antigonish County standards. Antigonish sits 13 km from here and is the nearest stop. Port Hawkesbury lies 46 km off, Princeville another 56 km. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on MacGillivrays Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name American eel, striped bass, brook trout, alewife and rainbow smelt. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On MacGillivrays Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 18°C and February at -7°C. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about mid December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. The season on MacGillivrays Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Boyds Lake at 2.9 km is the nearest alternative. Nothing on MacGillivrays Lake should be assumed from this page alone.