Turf Lake, Nova Scotia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Turf Lake belongs to Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Beyond the shoreline you have lake country bush. The edge covers about 5.2 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Size puts it in the front rank of our Halifax Regional Municipality list. Some 6.7 km away sits Enfield, the nearest settlement. Lantz follows at 9.7 km, then Fall River at 14 km. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Turf Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name brook trout, alewife, rainbow smelt and American eel. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Turf Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -6°C to 18°C. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. Open water usually runs from mid April until about mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Turf Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. The nearest mapped parking is 1.3 km away, so the last stretch is on foot. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Rocky Lake is 1.7 km distant. Check the position on Turf Lake before loading the car.