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60-acre lake near Bedford. The lake tops out around 20 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
On the chart, Paper Mill Lake draws 51 acres inside 3.3 miles of shoreline — one island included. The 3.3 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Roughly 88% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 0.7 mi, about 0.4 mi across. The water lies in Halifax County. The nearest mapped water is Kearney Lake, 1 mi to the south.
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 20 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, white perch run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 20 ft before dropping to 6 to 20 ft for winter. Summer white perch concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 17 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (17 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | dusk | Deep basin (17 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 20 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (17 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (17 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
7 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 17 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Paper Mill Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nova Scotia fishing regulations →
Paper Mill Lake is about 20 ft (6 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 on Paper Mill Lake.
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Paper Mill 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.
Kearney Lake 1 mi · Anderson Lake 4 mi · First Lake 4 mi · Rocky Lake 5 mi · Governor Lake 5 mi · Second Lake 5 mi · Beaver Lake 5 mi · Cranberry Lake 6 mi · Powder Mill Lake 6 mi · Third Lake 6 mi · Chocolate Lake 6 mi · Lake William 6 mi
See how Paper Mill Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Nova Scotia · best yellow perch 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.