School of Fish Guide Service

No April Fools, it’s the first day of the 2026 Fishing Season! While the weather is not yet letting us get the boat out we can still dream of warmer days on the water. School of Fish is taking reservations for guided trips in and around Central Nova Scotia for 2026. Despite the costs of everything going up, prices for guided outings remain unchanged for this season as we try to keep our services as affordable as possible. Get in touch and let us know how School of Fish can help get you on the water in 2026.

Since last September, anglers in Nova Scotia face up to $500,000 fines for releasing smallmouth bass. Now the area covered by the catch-and-kill regulation has expanded — and people are not happy. Read about it in the article linked in the comments below.

In the year 2000, a moratorium was placed on the Northumberland Strait striped bass, resulting g in immediate positive effects on the stability of that species (for now at least). While we understand the need for affords to reduce the negative effects of invasive species on a portion of the province, invasives are not the only issue facing salmon and trout in Nova Scotia. The return of the striped bass in the Northumberland Strait from the brink of extinction is a proven example of a successful approach for salmon in trout in Nova Scotia. We should not be blaming only the smallmouth and@pickerel and expecting any significant change for the long term sustainability of these species.

New Brunswick’s approach to invasive smallmouth includes: economic benefits to rural communities. Buy in from local and international companies. Canada and North America wide exposure. Encouraging significant investments from out of province anglers. And encouraging an active lifestyle in the outdoors. What are the benefits of the Nova Scotia approach?

“Elevating Recreational Fishing to a National Priority”, Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association, 2018.https://www.keepcanadafishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/GovernmentDocument2018-FINAL-FOR-WEB3.pdf

Nova Scotia appears to be implementing a mandatory retention of chain pickerel affecting the entire@province, and mandatory retention of Smallmouth in the West Branch Lahave and all areas East of Highway 102. No efforts have been made by the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture or Inland Fisheries to notify anglers in Nova Scotia or any of the affected groups. This is a drastic change to the available freshwater fisheries in Nova Scotia, and will affect all anglers in the province from 2025 forward. Most concerning is the lack@of stakeholder input and or ability to discuss the changes prior to incorporation. I have written the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture on behalf of School of Fish Guide Service to ensure my voice is heard. If you are concerned with the freshwater fishery in Nova Scotia or with ensuring your voice as an angler in Nova Scotia is recognized, I encourage you to do the same as an absolute minimum. Please reach out if I can help or if you have additional information. My letter to Minister Smith is available on my website at https://sofguideservice.ca/2025/02/24/open-letter-to-minister-kent-smith-regarding-mandatory-retention-of-chain-pickerel-and-smallmouth-in-nova-scotia/

How are you taking advantage of the weekend weather?

I was asked to put together a small tackle box for shore fishing here in NS. Starting with a small Plano box I added a few spinners, spoons, jig heads, weights and hooks. Added a couple different style Rapalas, and a couple fun topwaters. And then a few swimbaits as an introduction to soft plastics. Everything is downsized to try to encourage lots of action from all sizes of fish. Added in some 8lb leader line, floats, and a small multi tool with pliers. This is a fantastic starter kit that can be thrown in a backpack with sunscreen, bug spray, water and snacks, and you’re set for an hour or two of exploring any shoreline for any species here in NS. And as this young angler learns on the water, she can add to and upgrade her tackle kit to get into more specific techniques and to add colours, sizes, and styles of whatever lure she likes best. Pair all of this with a medium light action spinning rod to cover most fish you’ll find here in NS.

If you don’t mind the cold mornings this is a great time of year for smallie fishing. Jerkbaits are definitely the go-to bait but the ned rig is putting a few of the less aggressive fish in the boat.

Spring brings a number of opportunities across the province for stocked trout fishing that requires very little gear and high odds of success. A list of all the lakes that are stocked with trout is kept here: https://novascotia.ca/fish/sportfishing/hatchery-stocking/stocking-update/ . If you’re looking for accessible areas to find trout keep an eye on this list for your local ponds to be stocked and pack some gear and snacks for an enjoyable outing. Anytime within a few weeks of a new stocking you can’t go wrong with a bottom rig and power bait, but send us a message if you need any additional tips for a successful outing!