Pattersons Lake Fishing near Eskasoni 3, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  Pattersons Lake is a Richmond County water, in Nova Scotia. Tidal water begins 13 km from here. It runs to roughly 44 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The edge runs 4.4 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Few waters listed in Richmond County are bigger. For supplies, Eskasoni 3 is 23 km out. Marion Bridge is 32 km and St. Peter's 33 km. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Pattersons Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across Richmond County: Atlantic salmon, striped bass, American eel, alewife and brook trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Take Pattersons Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 18°C, the coldest about -6°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly late December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. The season on Pattersons Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. The water borders Middle River - Framboise Wilderness Area, so expect the reserve rules to apply. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Rock Lake is 1.4 km distant. None of that is settled for Pattersons Lake in what we hold.