Published: December 21, 2006
Revised: January 10, 2012

Licence Requirements
For those who love the outdoors, winter fishing is an ideal recreational sport. Fishing licences for 2011 are valid until March 31, 2012. Free winter sportfishing weekend is February 18-19, 2012

Season
The winter fishing season extends from January 1 - March 31, 2012
Anglers are reminded that the following waters are open for angling in the winter regardless of ice cover; please check ice thickness before venturing out to fish.

Species & Bag Limits
Winter fisheries exists for the following species, Rainbow trout (bag limit of two fish), Speckled trout (bag limit of two fish), Speckled trout (bag limit of 10 fish - only two of which may be 10 in or 25.4 cm total length or longer, this is ONLY in the Cape Breton Highlands Special Trout Management Area), Brown trout (bag limit of two fish), White perch (bag limit of 25 fish), Yellow perch (bag limit of 25 fish), Chain pickerel (bag limit of 25 fish).

RFA # 1 (Cape Breton, Inverness, Victoria & Richmond Counties)

Rainbow Trout
Eco-Trail Pond, Richmond County
Levers Lake & # 20 Dam, Cape Breton County

Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout
The tidal waters of the Bras D'Or Lakes
NOT INCLUDING:
(1) waters of the Baddeck River upstream from the Highway 105 bridge; (2) waters Northeast (inside) of the East Bay Sandbar; (3) waters upstream from Crowdis Bridge in River Denys Basin; (4) waters upstream from Black River Bridge in Dundee; and (5) waters upstream from Mackenzie Brook bridge near South Side Basin of River Denys; which remain closed to all angling.

Speckled Trout
Cape Breton Highlands Special Trout Management Area

• From January 1 to March 31, the daily bag limit for brook trout (speckled) is ten (10) fish only two (2) of which may be greater than 25.4 cm in length.

For the purpose of this notice, the Cape Breton Highlands Management Area is the area enclosed by the following boundaries:

• the 105 highway from the St. Anns exit (exit 11)  to the Hunters Mountain exit (exit 7)
• the Cabot Trail Highway from the Hunters Mountain exit (exit 7)to the Victoria/Inverness County line
• the Victoria/Inverness County line to the Cape Breton Highlands National Park boundary
• the Cape Breton Highlands National Park boundary to the Cabot Trail Highway at Ingonish
• The Cabot Trail Highwayat Ingonish to the 105 Highway at St. Anns but does not include the following waters which are located within the Cape Breton Highlands
• Baddeck River, North Branch Baddeck River and Canes Pond, not including tributaries
• Barachois River, not including tributaries
• Indian Brook downstream from the confluence of the East and West Branches, not including tributaries
• Ingonish River, not including tributaries
• Middle River including tributaries
• North River downstream from a point at the Benches marked by a fishery officer, not including tributaries.

RFA # 2 (Antigonish, Guysborough, & Pictou Counties)

Rainbow Trout
Goose Harbour Lake, Guysborough County
Cameron & Gillis Lakes, Antigonish County
Gairloch Lake, Pictou County

White & Yellow Perch
Cameron & Gillis Lakes, Antigonish County

Chain Pickerel
Black & West Branch Lakes, Pictou County

RFA # 3 (Halifax & Lunenburg Counties)

Rainbow Trout
Albro Lake, Halifax County
Maynard Lake, Halifax County
Penhorn Lake, Halifax County
Lewis Lake, Halifax County
Round Lake, Halifax County
Sucker Lake, Lunenburg County

White & Yellow Perch
Albro Lake, Halifax County
Bissett Lake, Halifax County
Fish Lake, Halifax County
Lewis Lake, Halifax County
Maynard Lake, Halifax County

Chain Pickerel
Fish Lake, Halifax County
Morris Lake, Halifax County
Russell Lake, Halifax County
Kinsac Lake, Halifax County
Bissett Lake Halifax County

RFA # 4 (Digby, Queens, Shelburne, & Yarmouth Counties)

Rainbow Trout
Everitts Lake, Digby County
Hidden Hills Lake, Queens County

White & Yellow Perch
Meteghan River, including all lakes and tributaries, Digby County
Lake George, Shelburne County

Chain Pickerel
Meteghan River, including all lakes and tributaries, Digby County
Annis River, including all lakes and tributaries, Yarmouth County
Kiack Brook (near Belleville South), including all lakes and tributaries, Yarmouth County
Louis Lake, Queens County
Walls Lake, Ponds in Port Latour, Bakers Flats on Cape Sable Island, Shelburne County
Lake George, Shelburne County

RFA # 5 (Annapolis, Hants, & Kings Counties)

Rainbow Trout
Meadow Pond, Hants County
Silver & Sunken Lakes, Kings County

White & Yellow Perch
Lake George, Kings County
Lake Paul, Kings County
Springfield Lake, Annapolis County
Woodward Sandford Lake, Hants County

Chain Pickerel
Lake George, Kings County
Lake Paul, Kings County
Lily Lake (Cogmagun Pond), Hants County

Speckled Trout (bag limit of two trout)
St. Croix Pond, Hants County
Meadow Pond, Hants County

RFA # 6 (Cumberland & Colchester Counties)

Rainbow Trout
Angevine (Dewars) Lake, Cumberland County

White & Yellow Perch
Angevine (Dewars) Lake, Cumberland County
Shortts Lake, Colchester County

Chain Pickerel
Shortts Lake, Colchester County