There weren’t any anglers fishing for striped bass on Grand Lake today. Public gates outside of Halifax closed early this year due to an increase in vandalism and illegal dumping on the nearby park.
Anglers used Grand Lake in the spring and fall months due to an increase of striped bass winterizing in the Fall River, N.S. lake. The site has two boat launches, with one that was previously open year-long for those looking to catch striped bass in their prime season.
There are no other public boat launches open in the fall and spring on the lake.
The Shubenacadie Canal Commission, which operates the nearby park and boat launch, told Global News on Thursday that the non-profit has had to clean up a number of beer bottles, TVs, mattresses and broken fishing rods.
On-site security keeping away late-night partiers became too costly for the group, forcing them to put up a gate and lock it in the winter.
“When you see the damage there, it breaks your heart,” told Claire Halpern, the Shubenacadie Canal Commission executive director.
Halpern said that since the gates were locked, the group has received several messages from anglers hoping to have more time on the water.
She says that she sympathizes with the anglers, as many on the water weren’t dumping in the park. But she said the non-profit simply cannot afford to hire more security for the winter.
One of those anglers, Ryan Anderson, said that Grand Lake is the only freshwater lake in the province to offer fishing in the spring and fall for small striped bass.
Fishing for striped bass also is done on the Bay of Fundy and on the Shubenacadie River.
“(This year) we’ve found more fish, and they’ve been a little easier to catch,” told Anderson, speaking in front of the locked gate.
“This is the only lake where we can come out and still do some smallmouth bass fishing but have an opportunity that we got with these large striped bass.”
The Shubenacadie Canal Commission said they’re willing to work with local anglers to accommodate the peak season in the spring.
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