More Night Fishing Planned for This Season

Anglers will soon be permitted to fish at night for smallmouth bass at selected lakes in Nova Scotia.

Night fishing for bass will soon be allowed at Ogden, Parr and Petes Lakes in Yarmouth County, Salmon River Lake in Digby County and Panuke Lake in Hants County.

The new opportunities follow the success of bass night fishing in previous years in Black River and Little River Lakes in Kings County, and Lake Micmac and Lake Banook in Halifax County. Those locations will also be open this year.

The smallmouth bass season opens April 15 across Nova Scotia.

Night fishing opportunities have also been expanded for brown trout this year. The portion of the Stewiacke River opened for night fishing has been extended downstream to the Stewiacke East Bridge, and that portion of River John from the West Branch Bridge downstream to the Welsford Bridge.

Anglers will still be permitted to fish for browns at night on the Cornwallis River, Kings County, as well as a portion of the Mersey River, Queens County.

"We made these recommendations to DFO after consultations with anglers about expanding sport fishing opportunities," said Keith Colwell, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. "Of course, we're always balancing new fishing efforts against care for our native stocks."

The sport fishing season begins Thursday, April 1, with the opening of trout season in areas west of Highway 102. The season opens April 15 for the remainder of the province.

The bag limit remains at five trout, five bass, and two landlocked salmon per fishing trip.

For the fifth year in a row, licence fees remain the same. A general fishing licence costs $17.25 (all prices tax included) for Nova Scotians and $46 for non-residents. A salmon licence for residents costs $28.75, while non-residents can choose a seven-day licence for $46 or a seasonal licence for $120. General licences can be bought at any one of 650 vendors throughout the province. Only anglers 16 and older require a fishing licence.

The licences are valid from date of issue until March 31, 2000. Anglers who plan to fish during the winter should keep their licence and return their licence stub at the end of March. All other anglers should return them after their final trip of the season.

More than 100,000 Nova Scotians enjoy angling. The sport fishery contributes $82 million a year to the provincial economy.