Cape Breton Island 
Credit: Clark Young /Unsplash
If you want to take a fishing trip in Nova Scotia, you are going to be spoiled for choice. With dozens of lakes and rivers to choose from, to say nothing of the wide ocean, it can be a bit overwhelming. Not to worry though—the locations and services below are ready to help you on your way. Whether you want to go deep-sea fishing for giants or just learn how to fly fish, Nova Scotia’s the perfect place for you. Just remember to get your fishing license, because you don’t want to miss out on a chance to catch the biggest fish of your life!
A&M Sea Charters
A&M Sea Charters leaves from the mouth of the Halifax Harbour, and is ready to take you right out into a deep-sea fishing tour that dreams are made of. You’ll be six miles offshore, and you’ve got at least four hours to catch ten fish. You can (and probably will) catch more fish than that, but you can only keep ten, so you have to throw them back. If you’ve already caught your ten, you can also be on barbecue duty—yes, this boat has a barbecue, so you can have the freshest of fresh haddock, cod, or wolffish.
Where: 87 Government Wharf Road, Eastern Passage
Contact Details: 902-465-6617
Big Intervale Fishing Lodge
Settled cozily in the Margaree Valley, Big Intervale is a dream getaway for fishing. The grounds are simple and classic, surrounded by trees and the river. You can also dine onsite in their local-focused restaurant, so once you get here, you don’t have to leave until your return journey. Your main catch here will be some of the finest Atlantic Salmon in all of North America, and Big Intervale offers packages that include lessons, guides, and nights at this amazingly peaceful getaway. s
Where: 3719 Big Intervale Road
Contact Details: 1-902-248-2275
Canal Landing
The Canal Landing of St. Peter’s sits right where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Bras d’Or Lake, so you’ll see an interesting array of fish. The canal is used for many activities, including canoeing and kayaking, swimming, and pedal boats. It’s certainly not the quietest fishing spot in the province, but it is a great place to enjoy the water and each other’s company. If you’ve got kids just learning how to fish, or only one or two people in your group feel like holding a rod that day, Canal Landing provides the ideal compromise—people can do whatever they want for as long as you want.
Where: 160 Toulouse Street, St. Peter’s
Contact Details: 902-800-7072
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Cape Breton Lobster Tours
Ah, lobster, one of Nova Scotia’s finest exports. While you will be hauling lobster traps during this tour, there’s even more going on closer to the surface. You’ll sail through the Bras d’Or Lake learning about local history, fishing for lake fish, and even feeding the local eagle population—well, you’ll be watching Captain Plant feed the eagles, which is safer for everyone involved. You can even book a private tour if you’ve got a big enough group, so get the clan together and enjoy an afternoon on the lake!
Where: Baddeck Community Wharf, Baddeck, Cape Breton
Contact Details: 902-295-7201 or 902-295-2564
Dry Fly Salmon
Fly fishing has its own culture, its own techniques, and its own community. If you’re looking to join in, or you’re new to the area, Dry Fly Salmon is happy to guide you on your way. They provide all the necessary equipment (but you’re welcome to bring your own), and you can do either a half-day or full-day trip on the Margaree River. It’s a great tradition on a world-famous river, and if you want to do it right, these guys are ready to show you how!
Where: Cheticamp
Contact Details: 902-224-0499
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Eagle Eye Outfitters
Eagle Eye Outfitters is ready to show you everything Cape Breton has to offer, including in the sea! They actually have three different fishing tours—a tuna charter, deep sea fishing, and a lobster boil that doesn’t always involve you catching the lobsters, but it certainly involves eating them. You can even organize a private tour if you’ve got a particular area in mind, and they’re happy to help you plan. With so many options, it’ll be hard to pick just one, but there’s always tomorrow…
Where: 15860 Central Avenue, Inverness
Contact Details: 902-258-5893
Four Winds Charters
We certainly feel winds from all four directions in Nova Scotia, so this name makes a lot of sense. Four Winds Charters offers fishing tours that last for four hours and start at the slightly more reasonable hour of 8AM rather some others on this list, who start at 6AM. You can fish either by rod and reel or by traditional hand line, and all supplies are provided. You can catch fish like mackerel, haddock, cod, and even flat fish, and you can either keep them or release them right away.
Where: Boutiliers Point
Contact Details: 902 826 2562 /902 221 7752
Fox Harb’r Resort
Fox Harb’r is known for its stunning spa and accommodations, as well as its world-class golf course, but did you know that it’s also a great spot for fishing? They have two fully stocked ponds to choose from, and they provide the fishing gear necessary to catch both speckled and rainbow trout. These ponds are catch and release, so you can’t keep the fish, but this is good practice and a great introduction to fishing for kiddos. And because it’s catch and release on a resort, this is the one place you don’t need a license to fish!
Where: 1336 Fox Harbour Road, Fox Harbour
Contact Details: 902-257-1801
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Giant Bluefin Tuna Charters
I still remember the day I found out exactly how big Giant tuna can get—they average 700 pounds! To snag one of these beauties, you’re going to need someone who knows how to catch them, and Giant Bluefin Tuna has over 25 years of experience in doing just that. Their bluefin tuna charter is catch and release, and includes breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon meal (complete with snacks), so you’re ready for a day on the water. Make sure you bring sunscreen, and reapply if you get splashed—I figure a fish that big can make a pretty big splash.
Where: Ballantyne’s Cove
Contact Details: 902-863-1128
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Green Highlander Lodge
If you’re headed to Baddeck to enjoy one of the lobster tours (see above), why not stay at the Green Highland Lodge? Another great fly-fishing getaway, the Lodge is classically designed and has only three suites and a cottage, so you won’t be surrounded by busyness. Bill Stephens is both your host and your guide, and will happily take your fly fishing on several rivers nearby including the Baddeck River, Middle River and, of course, Margaree River. Their Yellow Cello restaurant has all kinds of great food too, so you can stay fed and happy on your fly-fishing vacation!
Where: 525 Chebucto St., Baddeck
Contact Details: 902-295-2303
Gourmet by Nature
Gourmet by Nature has one very important goal: to show everyone that you can eat wild in Nova Scotia, and eat very well indeed! They have lessons and tours about different wild foods, but if you want to learn about fish, you’ve got to check out the Wild Gourmet Weekend Retreat. This 3-night experience takes place on a private lake, where you can take a guided fishing tour, learn how to catch your dinner, and forage for wild plants in the nearby forests and bogs to complete your gourmet meal! Nova Scotia has plenty of natural bounty, and I applaud this group for showing that eating off the land can be fun and delicious.
Where: Port Williams, Nova Scotia
Contact Details: gbnwildchef@gmail.com
Heritage Fishing Tours
Lunenburg is a UNESCO World Heritage site, so the name of this Fishing tour makes perfect sense. You actually stay in the harbour, for the most part, so you get to see all the old buildings and the still-working fisheries. You’ll find mostly mackerel and pollock on this trip, but you never know what might swim into the harbour. The boat has all the equipment you need, including binoculars for spotting schools of fish.
Contact Details: 902-640-3535 or 1-877-386-3535
The Islands Park
A popular destination for camping and outdoor adventures, the Islands is also well known for fishing. The license in hand, you can fish from the shore or from your very own canoe or kayak in Shelburne Harbour. If you want more company, you can always head into Shelburne and fish from the docks there. Make it a camping trip, and you can cook your dinner over an open fire before you climb into your tent for the night. Just make sure to keep the fish-eating utensils separate from the s’mores utensils!
Where: 183 Islands Park Road, Shelburne
Kejimkujik National Park
Kejimkujik National Park is large, wild, and full of activities including some amazing fishing opportunities. Once you’ve picked up a permit at the office, you’re allowed to head out as an angler at one of the many sites throughout the park. While native fish are mandatory catch and release, Keji’s eager for you to keep hold of every Chain pickerel you can get your hook in. This is an invasive species that threatens the local fish, so the more you can catch and eat (they taste good), the better. See the website for full rules, as well as a guide to identifying the pesky pickerel.
Where: 3005 Kejimkujik Main Parkway, Maitland Bridge
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Liscombe Lodge
Liscombe Lodge is ready to welcome you for a family vacation with a focus on the outdoors and having fun together. They have dozens of free activities for kids of all ages, including fishing. You can get the necessary gear there or bring your own, and with the lodge right there it’s a perfect time to coax kids into learning how to fish. And if they don’t enjoy it, that’s totally fine, because there are also supervised kid’s activities that let the grownups do their own thing.
Where: 2884 Highway 7, Liscomb
Contact Details: 1-800-665-6343
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Lunenburg Ocean Adventures
If you loved the Heritage Tour but you want to go out a little deeper, Lunenburg Ocean Adventures is ready to set sail. Their fishing charter package includes 4 hours of time with bait, rods, and reels provided (you can also bring your own tackle). The tour takes you past the lighthouse and the Ovens Caves, where you can observe plenty of sea life like dolphins, giant sunfish, and more. The main fish you’ll be catching are haddock, halibut, cod, and mackerel.
Where: 68 Bluenose Drive, Lunenburg
Contact Details: (902) 521-0251 or (902) 634-4833
Old Miller Trout Farm
This charming destination is on the Margaree, and it’s the perfect place to stay if you want privacy and excellent fishing. While it’s on the Margaree River, unlike some of the options above this place is well suited to trout fishing. You can also catch salmon and mackerel if you prefer, but I feel like you have to try and catch at least one trout, right? If you’re familiar with the waters of Margaree and you’re ready to strike out on your own, make this lovely old farmhouse your base of operations, and don’t forget your waders!
Where: 408 Doyles Road, Margaree Forks
Contact Details: 1-800-479-0220 or 902-248-2080
Peggy’s Cove Boat Tours
Peggy’s Cove has a famous lighthouse, but its truest beauty lies in the sea of this fishing village. The Peggy’s Cove Boat Tour is happy to show you everything the sea has to offer on one of their Deep-Sea Fishing tours. They’ve got all the gear for this two-hour trip, and are happy to give pointers on catching cod, mackerel, and haddock. The tour will even clean and fillet your catch for you, which must be a relief for beginner fishers. After you’ve been out on the water fishing, you’ll have a new appreciation for the fishing history of Peggy’s Cove.
Where: Government Wharf, Peggy’s Cove
Contact Details: 902-541-9177
Salsman Provincial Park
Salsman Provincial Park sits just outside of Sherbrooke, a place my Dad fished a lot as a child. This park is on the east side of the Country Harbour, and there are plenty of places to make a stand with a rod and reel (or to launch your boat and fish that way). If the fishing’s particularly good, why not camp out under the stars after a meal of fresh fish? You could also make Salsman your base, and try your luck at some other locations nearby.
Where: 15641 Highway 316, County Harbour
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Sawmill Landing
One of those nearby places is Sawmill Landing! One of the best fly-fishing ranges in Nova Scotia, Sawmill Landing has everything you could want. There’s plenty of room to wade even on the rare days with crowds, and there’s pools and riffles aplenty. You’re most likely to catch trout here (both Rainbow and Brown), and when they’re in season you might even snag a salmon or two. There are beaches nearby for picnics, and you can even kayak out to the Landing and back if you want to spend the whole day in the water.
Trenton Park
Trenton Park is an interesting entry on this list because it’s a park that has so many activities it almost forgets about fishing. There’s a giant swimming pool, a picnic area, open fields, and around 6km of trails to explore. That doesn’t mean the fishing is lame here, though. There are 3 different man-made pools, all stocked with fresh trout. It’s catch and release, so it’s more about skill-building, plus it gives you a quieter activity if the kids are getting too riled up.
Where: 119 Park Road, Trenton
Trout Brook Provincial Park
At Trout Brook, you’ll be pleased to find the best starfish fishing in all of Nova—no, that was a lame joke, you catch trout here! It’s right on the edge of Lake Ainslie, which has a thriving trout population. The white sandy beach is a perfect place to set down your fishing chair, and you might even make a new fishing buddy or two while you’re there. And if you can’t catch any fish, don’t worry—you can always go swimming and pretend to be a fish!
Where: 2535 Highway 395, East Lake Ainslie
Tusket Island Tours
Tusket Island Tours provides two kinds of tours that involve fishing. The first is their classic Tusket Island tour, which includes music, hauling lobster traps, and listening to folklore and history about the area. This tour also includes a stop on Tusket Island for fresh seafood chowder, before turning around and heading back in. If you’re looking to do a little more fishing, they offer a deep-sea charter service where you can spend around 5 hours deep-sea fishing for cod, haddock, flounder, and so much more. They’ll filet your fish for you, or you can buy a fish and chips dinner for the whole gang!
Where: 142 Jacquard Road, Wedgeport
Contact Details: 902-740-2295
Warren Lake
There are many lakes within the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, but Warren Lake stands apart as a fantastic fishing destination. Loons will keep you company (come-from-awayers, that’s the kind of creepy cackling noise you hear sometimes, tis just a bird) as you hike up to the lake and enjoy being surrounded by the mountains. There’s a flat and sometimes muddy trail that surrounds the lake, so it’s easy to look for the perfect fishing spot while getting some exercise.
Where: 325 Warren Lake Road, Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Contact Details: 902-224-2306
By: Adrienne Colborne
Great put together programme.
Most informative and helpful I have seen to date. Congratulations. Great help to tourists and your tourist department.