INDEX

Here you can find news or rumors pertinent to the South Shore, or as the DFO refer to it, Recreational Fishing Area # 3. If I hear something I'll put it here. Fact or fiction, you'll have to decide. If you know an "inside" story and want to share it, drop me a line. (zone #3 also includes the county of Halifax.)

We could possibly have a Sea-Run Trout fishery on the Petite River in the near future. Negotiations are in the works!

Sherbrooke Lake (Nine Mile lake) may be getting a public boat launch. Access has been limited for many years but that may change shortly.

A chance meeting on July 23, 2002 at Mushamush. After a days fishing I met a young man packing up as well. He was a summer student working for Inland Fisheries. He was spending his summer angling, trying to confirm angler reports of bass in lakes. When he started the province had 149 confrimed lakes with smallmouth bass. His angling has confrimed another 100 lakes, not bad eh. As I questioned him, "Why bother?". We all know they're spreading like wildfire. He said he agreed but who would complain about being paid to fish. I agreed as well.:^)

However, that's not what got my interest. His angling at Mushamush was for a different matter. He was collecting scale samples to do an age study on the fish. It seems many people have complained that the bass at Mushamush are very small. Inland fisheries has a concern that they may be a stunted population. The test results won't be back till winter. Perhaps different angling regulations will fall on Mushamush in the future?

There has been a boat launch constucted at Mush-a-Mush lake. It is located at the beach, just off the Harold Silver road near Sucker Lake. This provides the much needed access to this wonderful lake. It appears that we will be required to park by Sucker lake after you use the launch. This is only fair as not to congest the beach area for the resident campers. Thanks go to all envolved! Remember to be respectful when using it and don't leave litter or pick up any that you may find. When time permits I will add a page dedicated to Mush-a-Mush lake. Now that we have a public launch we can all enjoy the angling opportunities that exist there, and there are a lot.

Great News! LaHave River has been designated a "Special Trout Management Area". You may only use an unbaited lure to which not more than 1 hook is attached or artificial fly only, and use of natural bait is prohibited. Also, the river will open April 1st this year. Usually the river would not open till May 9th. However, the DFO has reconsidered the opening date due in large part to the recent stockings of the "sea-run trout". The river will be open from Silver's brook to the south end of Wentzell's Lake until May 9th. After that time the whole river will be open. May 26th the river will move to it's scheduled status(fly fishing only) as usual.

There is going to be a salt water license required this year (2002). Everything from smelts to mackeral will need it. This has been rumored for a long while but it appears that it has finally come about. Haven't heard what the charge will be as of yet.

Commencing in 2002, the following new daily quota (bag) limits for recreational fisheries will be applied throughout Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island:

Some of you may not yet be aware of this but Sucker Lake(rainbow trout) is now open year round. This is a real blessing! If you are happy with the new regulations let this man know. Minister Ernest L. Fage MIN_DAF@gov.ns.ca I'd love to hear if any of you are having any luck at Sucker Lake as well.

2002 Stocking Information.

Note: Numbers in brackets after lake name are location codes found in N.S. Map Book.

Note: All fish stocked are speckled trout unless otherwise noted.

Becks Lake (15D3)
Butler Lake (14B4)
Card Lake (14E4)
Clearland Lake (15D2)
Hennigar Lake (14E3)
Henry Lake (15E1) (Derby)
Hirtles Pond (15E4)
Huey Lake (15B3)
Hutt Lake (15E1)
Lake Darling (14D4)
Lake Lawson (14D4)
Lewis Lake (14D3/14E3)
Long Lake (15B4)
Maple Lake (20B5)
Moose L. (15C4)
New Canada Lake (15B2)
Stanford Lake (21A1)
Sucker Lake (15C2) Rainbow
Wallace Lake (15C4) (Derby)
Wiles L. (15C3) (Derby)

Bluenose Atlantic Coastal Action Program

Brief history on the Mushamush River Restoration Project:

Summer 1998 - Placed digger logs and deflectors in Mushamush River (stretch between Big and Little Mushamush Lakes) to create fish habitat.

Summer 1999 - Placed digger logs and deflectors in Blockhouse Mill Brook again to create fish habitat.

Summer 2000 - Placed digger logs and deflectors in Naas Brook (small brook between Naas and Langille Lakes) to restore flow, remove silt from the system, and to create fish habitat. This project has been by far our most successful restoration attempt.

Summer 2001 - Placed rock sills and a weir dam in Mushamush River (outflow of Little Mushaumsh Lake before the "stump pond") to slow down the flow and to create resting and holding pools for fish. Also planted native plant seedlings around the former NS Power dam site on the Mushamush River for bank stabilization.

Summer 2002/2003 - Restore former NS Power dam site. Place rock sills below dam site, create main channel above dam site, and continue planting native tree and plant seedlings along banks.

We are also in the midst of developing a complete watershed management plan for the Mushamush system. So far we have developed a brief discussion paper and plan to hold a community meeting/open house to receive public input and then finalize the plan.

S. Brooke Cook
Executive Director
PO Box 10
Mahone Bay, NS
B0J 2E0
Tel: (902) 624-9888
Fax: (902) 624-9818
www.auracom.com/~bacap/

Jamie Heim, Canada, ©1999-2003