Fishing MacPherson Lake in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  The Guysborough County end of Nova Scotia holds MacPherson Lake. What surrounds it is rolling bush. It measures about 85 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. A shoreline of some 4.3 km keeps the choices simple. On our Guysborough County list it sits near the top for size. Port Hawkesbury sits 21 km from the bank. After that come Louisdale at 34 km and Princeville at 38 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on MacPherson Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Guysborough County cover coalfish, Atlantic cod and alewife. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. MacPherson Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 18°C, while February sits near -7°C. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. The season between ice runs from about late April to late December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Expect MacPherson Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Porper Lake at 2.2 km is the sensible second choice. Confirm before you fish MacPherson Lake.