Shingle Lake Fishing near Antigonish, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  Shingle Lake lies within the bounds of Guysborough County, Nova Scotia. It sits 22 km in from the sea. It covers about 4 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Guysborough County. Some 32 km away sits Antigonish, the nearest settlement. Beyond it, Port Hawkesbury at 48 km and Princeville at 62 km. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Shingle Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Guysborough County cover alewife, American eel and brook trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The shape of Shingle Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 18°C, the coldest about -7°C. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly mid December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Shingle Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. 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. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Round Lake at 0.8 km is the nearest alternative. Where Shingle Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.