Rainy Lake, Nova Scotia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Halifax Regional Municipality, Rainy Lake is a Nova Scotia water. It sits 11 km in from the sea. It covers about 6 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The closest town, Musquodoboit Harbour, is 31 km away. It is 67 km to Dartmouth, the nearest city. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Rainy Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Halifax Regional Municipality, recorded fish include brook trout, alewife, rainbow smelt, American eel and Atlantic salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Rainy Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 18°C and February about -6°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly late December. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Time your trip to Rainy Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Three River Lake, 1.7 km out. Check the position at Rainy Lake before loading the car.