Almost 20 years ago, I can remember fishing at Blackett's Lake and no matter which spot I cast from, I could catch a couple speckled trout every trip. Today, however, that isn't the case and the trout population in Blacketts Lake, connecting Gillis lake and throughout the rest of the Sydney River watershed have declined a great deal.

From my own experience and understanding, this is largely due to the illegal introduction of two invasive species, the smallmouth bass, and the chain pickerel. Although I occasionally hear of anglers still catching trout in Blacketts Lake, I have yet to catch one myself in recent years. I suspect in the coming years, the trout population will likely be non-existent in these waters and we will hear fewer stories of trout being caught. 

With that said, Blacketts Lake and Gillis Lake are now heavily populated with smallmouth bass and chain pickerel and these fishing areas are great for anglers of all ages and skill who just want to get out and catch some fish quite easily. In this article, I'm going to share the areas I've found to be the best spots for smallmouth bass and chain pickerel and what bait I found to work best in each spot.

Baits & Best Areas.

1. The first bait choice that works well, particularly in the early morning and early evening, is a simple silver Hildebrandt (#3 or #4) spinnerbait (no bobber) with about 6 to 8 inches of lead and a live worm on the end. Cast and retrieve this at a slow even pace with a quick pause every 5 seconds or so. Areas that have worked best with this setup have been marked on the picture as #1. This also works very well for chain pickerel.

2. The second bait choice is a simple drop shot setup (no bobber) with a live worm that is 12 to 24 inches from the drop weight. I have also found that injecting the worm with little air increases strikes a great deal. Not only does this work well for bass in the morning and evening but also during those times when smallmouth bass are less active such as late morning and late afternoon. This doesn't work particularly well for chain pickerel but the bass seem to love this. Areas that have worked best with this setup have been marked on the picture as #2.

3. The third bait choice is the easiest way to go by far. A simple bobber with about 3 feet of line and just a hook and live worm (no spinner and rigged weedless if possible). This setup is best used in areas where there is a steady current. Simply cast your line into the current, open the bail on your reel and let the current take your bait and line. This doesn't work particularly well for chain pickerel but the bass seem to love this one also. Areas that have worked best with this setup have been marked on the picture as #3.

4. The fourth bait is a light green frog with a white belly (smaller the better). Although I haven't caught a single bass with this bait, it doesn't mean that it isn't a good choice. The reason I haven't caught a bass with this is because I still haven't perfected the strike and setting of the bait but I can tell you that bouncing/jittering a frog on lily pads does provoke bass into striking very aggressively. Areas that have worked best with this setup have been marked on the picture as #4.

5. The fifth bait choice is a jointed minnow (rainbow trout coloured with the smallest lip possible). This bait hasn't given me much luck with bass (although intended for bass) but it did allow me to catch some massive chain pickerel. Areas that have worked best with this setup have been marked on the picture as #5.

The current bag limit for smallmouth bass and chain pickerel in Blackett's Lake is set at 25 daily. If you catch smallmouth bass or chain pickerel and have zero interest in eating these fish, maybe consider giving your catch to a neighbor, friend, or maybe donate to Loaves & Fishes.

View The 2017 Anglers Handbook Here