Fishing at Wildcat Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia

• Overview

  This water sits in Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. The sea is 5.7 km distant. Small at around 8 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. The closest town, Musquodoboit Harbour, is 6 km distant. Porters Lake lies 17 km off, Lake Echo another 22 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Wildcat Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Across Halifax Regional Municipality, recorded fish include 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. Wildcat Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -6°C in January up to 18°C in August. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. On average, mid April opens the water and mid December closes it again. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Plan around that when you fish Wildcat Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try North West Lake, 0.6 km away. Check the current arrangement for Wildcat Lake.