Trout is a great fish to fish for and eat. Once the season starts in the spring and the ice begins to recede from lakes and rivers, time to start getting out your fishing gear.
Halifax and the surrounding areas has the great advantage of having many small lakes and hidden rivers. The possibilities for angling are almost endless.
Where can you catch trout in the Halifax and surrounding areas? There are many lakes and rivers that still hold trout, you just need to know where to look. Without giving away any secret fishing holes here are a few suggestions that you can try to successfully catch trout.
First its good to look at a map of the area. Google maps is an excellent tool where you can start looking. First of all its good to keep in mind that the more tucked away, or inaccessible a lake is, probably the more chance there is of holding trout.
There are still some areas that are within a reasonable drive of Halifax that have less population density. Some of these might be crown land areas where building is not allowed or has started. Others may be wilderness protected areas that allow angling but do not allow any power boats or ATV access. This instantly cuts down on angling pressure.
If you can purchase an inflatable kayak or boat, this can open up more opportunities to get away from the crowds. An inflatable works well since you can pack it away and hike into a lake that doesn’t have a road and boat launch. Once on the lake you can paddle to areas of the lake that are inaccessible to anglers who are just fishing from the shore. Many lakes have an area that anglers can use but the rest of the lake is inaccessible due to the terrain and tree cover.
Some lakes are connected by rivers, streams and trails. Having an inflatable boat can help you access these areas more easily than bush whacking.
There are certainly some lakes that you may be able to easily access that may hold trout. Some are stocked regularly by park services and others just seem to keep producing trout regardless of how easy they are to access.
If you do find a lake that appears to be tucked away without obvious roads, the next step is to find a way in. Most lakes in and around the Halifax area have some sort of access, whether a dirt road, ATV trail, or footpath. After looking at a satellite view on Google maps you can also drive to the area and look for a way in. This may take some time but usually the harder the lake or river is to reach the more of a chance that you will find success.
How do you catch trout? In Nova Scotia the brook trout is native to the province. I personally keep things simple and fish with a spinner spoon such as a classic Mepps spinner. I think fish are much less picky than we fisherman are. In the spring, if fishing a lake simply cast towards shore if from a boat. The trout can be found right up close to shore and near the surface, since the water temperatures are still cold and trout have not moved down deep as in summer.
Bringing along a simple stringer can help keep the fish alive in the water until it is time to kill and fillet them.
Start a fire or use a gas stove and heat up a pan. Add some salted butter to the pan and cook the trout in the butter. After tasting it you will want to go back for more.
The Halifax area still holds some great fishing spots. No need to travel extremely long distances to find your catch. Get out and find your secret fishing spots and don’t tell anyone about them!
