Schmidt Lake, Nova Scotia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Nova Scotia, Schmidt Lake belongs to Halifax Regional Municipality. Elevation runs to 99 metres. It measures about 31 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Bank access stretches around 3.6 km in total. The nearest town is Hammonds Plains, 2.1 km away. English Corner follows at 2.4 km, then Glen Moir at 6.1 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Schmidt Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Public occurrence data for Halifax Regional Municipality names brook trout, alewife and rainbow smelt. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Read Schmidt Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -6°C in January to roughly 18°C in August. Hard water is a season in its own right here. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about mid December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On Schmidt Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. The nearest car park is 320 m from the water. Fishing from a pier is possible 210 m away. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Baptizing Lake sits 0.9 km off and takes the overflow. For Schmidt Lake in particular, ask before you travel.