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481-acre lake near Paroisse d'Addington. Government of New Brunswick lake depth survey. The lake tops out around 74 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
On the chart, Nictau Lake draws 485 acres inside 7.3 miles of shoreline. An index of 2.4 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 29% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 2.5 mi end to end and 0.8 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Restigouche County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Bathurst Lake, 5 mi southeast of here.
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 20 to 45 ft for winter. Fall smallmouth bass concentrate at Main-lake point, a prime-rated point around 10 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. 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 | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (23 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (23 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring chain pickerel on Nictau Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 3 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 18 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 8 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run 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 (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 8 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is 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 (8 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (23 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (23 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (23 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brook trout in 2 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 3 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 23 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (23 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: white perch in 4 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 15 to 40 ft, wintering in 20 to 50 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow feeding flat, a feeding flat in the 16 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning. 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 (8 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 15 to 40 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (16 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 15 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (23 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | dusk | Break off the point (23 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
Structure-wise the chart holds 7 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 72 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New Brunswick waters are set by the New Brunswick fishing rules — and special regulations can apply to Nictau Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Brunswick fishing regulations →
Nictau Lake is about 74 ft (23 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, brook trout, white perch on Nictau Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 10 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.
Fishing on Nictau Lake is regulated by the New Brunswick fishing rules. Check the official New Brunswick regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Bathurst Lake 5 mi · Camp Lake 6 mi · Teneriffe Lake 7 mi · First Portage Lake 14 mi · Second Portage Lake 15 mi · Third Portage Lake 15 mi · Neary Pond 18 mi · Upsalquitch Lake 19 mi · Riley Lake 19 mi · Serpentine Lake 20 mi · Sisson Branch Reservoir 21 mi · Little Everett Lake 22 mi
See how Nictau Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in New Brunswick · best yellow perch lakes in New Brunswick · best brook trout lakes in New Brunswick · best chain pickerel lakes in New Brunswick
More water nearby: Restigouche County fishing maps (25 charts). Browse all New Brunswick fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.