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300-acre lake near Shortts Lake. The lake tops out around 46 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The chart traces 8.2 miles of shoreline here. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.6) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 66% of this chart, as modeled. Tip to tip the water measures near 2.8 mi with a 0.9-mi widest point. You'll find it in Colchester County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Dollar Lake, 21 mi south of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 20 to 45 ft for winter. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (21 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (21 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts white perch in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 15 to 40 ft, wintering in 14 to 46 ft. Summer white perch concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 39 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon covers the summer program.
| 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 | Deep basin (39 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 15 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (39 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft | dusk | Deep basin (39 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| 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 (21 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (21 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (39 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts brook trout in skinny water — 2 to 15 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 3 to 20 ft. Summer brook trout concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 21 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (21 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (21 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 39 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 Shortts Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nova Scotia fishing regulations →
Shortts Lake is about 46 ft (14 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, brook trout on Shortts Lake.
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Shortts 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.
Dollar Lake 21 mi · Grand Lake 24 mi · Folly Lake 25 mi · Shubenacadie Grand Lake 26 mi · Bayer Lake 29 mi · Fletchers Lake 30 mi · Soldier Lake 31 mi · Miller Lake 31 mi · Kinsac Lake 31 mi · Tucker Lake 32 mi · Lake Thomas 32 mi · Mattatall Lake 33 mi
See how Shortts Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Nova Scotia · best yellow perch lakes in Nova Scotia · best brook trout lakes in Nova Scotia · best white perch lakes in Nova Scotia
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.