Second Lake in Guysborough County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Second Lake lies in Guysborough County, in Nova Scotia. It sits 2.3 km in from the sea. Surface area runs to about 7 hectares — small enough to read in one session. It lies lower than most water we list in Nova Scotia. Start from Port Hawkesbury, 41 km down the road. Louisdale lies 45 km off, Princeville another 58 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Second Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Being tidal, the water moves twice a day, and the fishing moves with it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Guysborough County include coalfish, Atlantic cod, alewife, American eel and brook trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Read Second Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between February at about -6°C and August at about 18°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near late December in autumn. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It holds true on Second Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. The nearest mapped parking is 800 m away, so the last stretch is on foot. There is a jetty 1.2 km off, worth knowing on a busy day. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Little Lake at 0.3 km is the nearest alternative. For Second Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.