Winter fishery opens Monday in designated lakes across Nova Scotia

The winter sportfishing season gets underway Monday, but as in past years, many people will likely be casting into cold water from shore rather than dropping their bait into lakes through holes in the frozen surface.

Climate change continues to cause issues, either keeping ice in some parts of the province too thin to walk on, or turning what ice there is into soft ice and slush that isn’t stable.

But still, for many anglers who have been limited to the few year-round lakes in the province since the fall, the opening of the winter fishery scratches the itch to get out and cast a line.

“The amount of time that many lakes are frozen for anglers to get out has definitely been reduced,” said Stephen Thibodeau, the manager of fisheries enhancement for the province’s fisheries and aquaculture department. “It’s hard to forecast or predict.”

The Canadian Red Cross suggests there be at least 15 cm of ice for someone to walk, skate or fish on, 20 cm for a large group of people, and 25 cm for an SUV or snowmobile to drive on the ice.

Thibodeau said there have been no changes to the regulations since last year.

The department puts about 1,000 brook or rainbow trout in most trout lakes designated for the winter fishery to support the activity.

“The winter fishery is definitely growing among resident anglers,” Thibodeau said. “We’re getting more inquiries about opening up more lakes and creating more opportunities.”

The fishery is limited to specific lakes and waterways and bag limits are reduced, but it’s still a chance to try for certain species until the regular season opens in most areas April 1.

Species that can be fished in designated winter fishery locations are brook and rainbow trout, white and yellow perch, smallmouth bass and chain pickerel.

A general fishing licence is required, except for the annual winter sportfishing weekend, which is February 17-19 in 2024. Licences are good from April 1 to March 31, so anyone who already has one from last spring and summer doesn’t need another.

The department says safety tips include:

• monitoring weather conditions
• checking ice thickness before fishing on a frozen lake
• wearing a flotation device as appropriate, including when fishing from a boat
• dressing in layers to stay warm and dry
• telling someone where they will be fishing and when they plan to be back.