Winter Sport Fishing in Nova Scotia
The Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and Fisheries announced today that Nova Scotia anglers will once again have a variety of sport fishing opportunities available to them this winter.
"The new year will allow Nova Scotian anglers several opportunities for the winter sport fishing season," said Ernest Fage, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. "By opening selected lakes and streams to fishing for chain pickerel, white and yellow perch and stocked rainbow trout, anglers will have a chance to enjoy their sport without affecting the province's brook trout, smallmouth bass and Atlantic salmon populations."
The sport fishing seasons were developed in consultation with the province's recreational fishery advisory councils, the department's Inland Fisheries Division and the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
For the 2002 winter season, chain pickerel anglers will be able to enjoy fishing opportunities for this species throughout the province. In Digby County, the Meteghan River, including all lakes and tributaries is open from Jan. 1 until March 31. The Annis River and Kiack Brook, Yarmouth Co., including all lakes and tributaries, are also open from Jan. 1 until March 31. Other lakes open for chain pickerel include Lewis Lake, Queens Co.; Walls Lake, The Ponds in Port LaTour and Bakers Flats on Cape Sable Island, Shelburne Co.; and Fish Lake, Halifax Co. Lily Lake (Cogamun Pond), Hants Co.; Shortts Lake, Colchester Co.; and Black Lake, Pictou Co., will also reopen this winter. All pickerel lakes are open from Jan. 1 until March 31. The bag limit for chain pickerel is 25 fish.
Angling for white and yellow perch will be permitted from Jan. 1 until March 31 on Angevine (Dewars) Lake, Cumberland Co.; Middle River Lake, Pictou Co.; and Woodward Sanford Lake, Hants Co. For the first time, anglers can fish for white and yellow perch on Springfield Lake in Annapolis County. The bag limits for each of these species is 25 fish.
Rainbow trout anglers will continue to enjoy fishing opportunities for this species. The Bras d'Or Lakes are open for winter angling of rainbow trout from Jan. 1 until March 31. The bag limit is two fish per day.
Four areas of the Bras d'Or Lakes are closed to angling to protect brook trout and Atlantic salmon: above the Baddeck River Bridge on Highway105 (including Cains Pond), inside the East Bay sandbar, above Crowdis Bridge in River Denys Basin, and above Black River Bridge in Dundee.
Several other lakes will open on Jan. 1 until March 31 for rainbows: Cameron and Gillis lakes, Antigonish Co.; Albro Lake, Halifax Co.; Gairloch Lake, Pictou Co.; Goose Harbour Lake, Guysborough Co.; Sucker Lake, Lunenburg Co.; Levers Lake and #20 Dam, Cape Breton Co.; and Hidden Hills Lake, Queens Co. Bag limit will be two fish per day. Meadow Pond, Hants Co., will also be open for rainbow trout from Jan. 1 until Feb. 28 with the same bag limit.
Arichat Harbour in Richmond County will also be open this winter. The season runs from Jan. 1 until March 31 with a bag limit of two fish per day. The area open is the tidal water of the harbour inside a straight line drawn from Babin's Hill to Green Spar Buoy CK7 and then to Guerney Island.
The minister reminds anglers to practise caution while enjoying the winter fishing from shore, in boats or on the ice.
"I wish all anglers a successful and safe winter season," said Mr. Fage.
For information about the lakes and streams open for the winter fishery, contact the department's Inland Fisheries Division in Pictou, Nova Scotia by calling 902-485-5056, or visit the department's Web site, at www.gov.ns.ca/nsaf/sportfishing .