Fishing at Puzzle Lake, Annapolis County, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  Puzzle Lake lies within the bounds of Annapolis County, Nova Scotia. The country here is pine and birch. The water covers some 37 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. A shoreline of some 4.0 km keeps the choices simple. Liverpool at 52 km is the nearest place to stop. For a city, Halifax is 136 km off. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Puzzle Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across Annapolis County: alewife, Atlantic salmon and chain pickerel. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Puzzle Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -5°C to 18°C. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. Open water usually runs from early April until about mid December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Puzzle Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping shows a campsite some 570 m from the water. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is North Cranberry Lake, 0.9 km out. None of that is settled for Puzzle Lake in what we hold.