Fishing at Westhaver Lake, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  Look for Westhaver Lake in the Lunenburg County part of Nova Scotia. This is pine and birch ground. It measures about 19 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Nearest town is Chester, 18 km off. Stillwater Lake is 24 km and Upper Hammonds Plains 25 km. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Westhaver Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Lunenburg County names American eel, Atlantic whitefish, smallmouth bass and striped bass. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Anyone new to Westhaver Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 18°C, the coldest about -6°C. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about mid December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. That is the shape of the year on Westhaver Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Coolen Lake is 1 km distant. Nothing here settles the position at Westhaver Lake for certain.