Winter Sportfishing Starts New Year's Day

NOTE: A list of waterways open for winter sportfishing and restrictions follows this release.

Anglers will have even more opportunities to enjoy Nova Scotia's great outdoors when the winter sportfishing season opens New Year's Day.

Fishing venues are expanding with 47 lakes open for rainbow trout, brook trout, chain pickerel or perch.

Sieferts Lake will open for the first time this year. It's the sixth lake open for winter brook trout fishing in the Cape Breton Highlands area of Victoria County. Big, Island, Bell, Snake Cat and Trout lakes will also open.

Round Lake and Lewis Lake, both near Jerry Lawrence Provincial Park in Halifax Regional Municipality, and Eco-Trail Pond on Isle Madame, Richmond Co., will open for rainbow trout.

"Winter sportfishing is a great way for experienced and beginner anglers to enjoy Nova Scotia's outdoors," said Sterling Belliveau, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. "I encourage all anglers to use caution when winter fishing, whether they are fishing from shore, in boats or through the ice."

A 2010 general fishing licence is required to winter fish and can be purchased at Department of Natural Resources offices. The licences are valid until March 31, 2011. Anglers may also purchase one-day licences at a reduced rate.

Anglers can also take advantage of the annual winter sportfishing weekend Feb. 19 and Feb. 20 when residents and non-residents can fish in open winter sportfishing areas without a general fishing licence.

For more information, visit www.gov.ns.ca/fish/sportfishing/angling/winterangling.shtml .

The following is a list of waterways open for winter sportfishing and restrictions for fishing Jan. 1 to March 31, unless otherwise noted:

NOTE: Five areas of the Bras d'Or Lakes are closed to all angling to protect brook trout and Atlantic salmon. They include the areas above the Baddeck River Bridge on Highway 105 (including Cains Pond), inside the East Bay sandbar, above Crowdis Bridge in River Denys Basin, above Black River Bridge in Dundee and above MacKenzie Brook bridge near the south side of River Denys.

Brook trout Bag limit of 10 trout, only two of which may be greater than 25.4 cm (10 inches) in length.

• Victoria County: Big Lake, Island Lake, Bell Lake, Snake Cat Lake, Trout Lake and Sieferts Lake.

Rainbow trout Bag limit two fish per day.

• Antigonish County: Cameron Lake and Gillis Lake
• Cape Breton: Bras d'Or Lakes (see note), Levers Lake and No. 20 Dam
• Cumberland County: Angevine Lake
• Digby County: Everitts Lake
• Guysborough County: Goose Harbour Lake
• Halifax Regional Municipality: Albro Lake, Round Lake, Lewis Lake, Maynard Lake, Oathill Lake and Penhorn Lake
• Hants County: Meadow Pond (Jan. 1 to Feb. 28 only)
• Kings County: Silver Lake and Sunken Lakes (Jan. 1 to Feb. 28 only)
• Lunenburg County: Sucker Lake
• Pictou County: Gairloch Lake
• Queens County: Hidden Hills Lake
• Richmond County: Eco Trail Pond on Isle Madame

Chain pickerel Bag limit of 25 fish per day

• Colchester County: Shortts Lake
• Digby County: Meteghan River, including all lakes and tributaries
• Halifax Regional Municipality: Morris Lake, Russell Lake, Fish Lake, and Kinsac Lake
• Hants County: Lily Lake (Cogamun Pond)
• Kings County: Lake George and Lake Paul
• Pictou County: Black Lake and West Branch Lake
• Queens County: Louis Lake
• Shelburne County: Walls Lake, Lake George, The Ponds in Port LaTour and Bakers Flats on Cape Sable Island
• Yarmouth County: Annis River and Kiack Brook (near Belleville South), including all lakes and tributaries

White and yellow perch Bag limit is 25 fish per day per species

• Annapolis County: Springfield Lake
• Antigonish County: Cameron Lake and Gillis Lake
• Colchester County: Shortts Lake
• Cumberland County: Angevine (Dewars Lake)
• Halifax Regional Municipality: Albro Lake
• Hants County: Woodward Sanford Lake
• Kings County: Lake George and Lake Paul
• Shelburne County: Lake George
• Digby County: Meteghan River, including all lakes and tributaries