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180-acre lake near Lower Sackville. The lake tops out around 75 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Drawn out, this is 203 acres of water rimmed by 4.1 miles of bank. Index 2.1 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 52% of this chart, as modeled. End to end it runs roughly 1.4 mi, about 0.5 mi across. The water lies in Halifax County. The nearest mapped water is Second Lake, 1 mi to the northeast.
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 45 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 19 ft, rated prime for fall smallmouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (34 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: white perch in 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 40 ft before dropping to 20 to 50 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 34 ft of water that rates prime for white perch in fall. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 15 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (34 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 15 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (34 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | dusk | Break off the point (34 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (34 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (34 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (34 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring chain pickerel on First Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 18 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 6 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Count 11 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 64 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3, 2025 | Brook Trout | 400 | ~13.8" |
| May 8, 2025 | Brook Trout | 350 | ~11.8" |
| Dec 5, 2024 | Brook Trout | 400 | ~13" |
| Jun 13, 2024 | Brook Trout | 300 | ~10" |
| May 11, 2023 | Brook Trout | 400 | ~997.6" |
| May 26, 2022 | Brook Trout | 400 | ~10.4" |
| Apr 26, 2022 | Brook Trout | 500 | ~9.8" |
| Jun 7, 2021 | Brook Trout | 400 | ~10" |
Source: Nova Scotia hatchery stocking records, retrieved 2026-08-18.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Nova Scotia waters are set by the Nova Scotia sportfishing rules — and special regulations can apply to First Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nova Scotia fishing regulations →
First Lake is about 75 ft (23 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, white perch, yellow perch, chain pickerel on First Lake.
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For smallmouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per Nova Scotia hatchery stocking records records, First Lake was most recently stocked Oct 3, 2025 with 400 brook trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on First Lake is regulated by the Nova Scotia sportfishing rules. Check the official Nova Scotia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Second Lake 1 mi · Third Lake 2 mi · Rocky Lake 2 mi · Powder Mill Lake 2 mi · Lake Thomas 3 mi · Anderson Lake 4 mi · Lake William 4 mi · Paper Mill Lake 4 mi · Kinsac Lake 4 mi · Miller Lake 5 mi · Tucker Lake 5 mi · Kearney Lake 5 mi
See how First Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Nova Scotia · best yellow perch lakes in Nova Scotia · best chain pickerel lakes in Nova Scotia · best white perch lakes in Nova Scotia
More water nearby: Halifax County fishing maps (40 charts). Browse all Nova Scotia fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.