Scrag Lake Fishing near Middleton, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  The Annapolis County entry here is Scrag Lake, in Nova Scotia. It sits at 188 metres above sea level. This is sizeable water at about 1.96 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. The perimeter runs near 10 km, so plan the walk before you start. Size puts it in the front rank of our Annapolis County list. Supplies mean a trip to Middleton, 20 km off. The big place round here is Dartmouth, 111 km distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Scrag Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Annapolis County records list alewife, Atlantic salmon, chain pickerel and yellow perch among the fish reported. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Scrag Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 18°C and January reads -6°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at mid December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Scrag Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Little Bear Lake at 1.4 km is the nearest alternative. Treat Scrag Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.