Fishing Peter Paul Lake in Digby County, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  Out in Digby County, Nova Scotia, sits Peter Paul Lake. It sits 28 km in from the sea. About 8 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. On size it sits at the modest end of our Digby County list. Digby lies 40 km from the water. The nearest city of size is Halifax, 179 km away. Within a short drive: Little Barrio Lake 3 km, Barn Lake about 3.6 km, Toad Lake 4.3 km, Langford Lake about 5.6 km and Burntland Lake 5.7 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Peter Paul Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Digby County records list alewife, Atlantic salmon, American shad and American eel among the fish reported. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Peter Paul Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 17°C and January near -5°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near mid December: that is the shape of an average year. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. It holds true on Peter Paul Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Little Barrio Lake at 3 km is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Peter Paul Lake before loading the car.