Fishing Ann Lake in Rosedale, Manitoba

• Overview

  Ann Lake lies in Rosedale, Manitoba. The ground around here is rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 5 hectares — small enough to read in one session. It is a small entry by Rosedale standards. For a base, Minnedosa sits 21 km out. For a city, Winnipeg is 200 km off. If this one is busy: Coulsons Lake at 1.4 km, Arnold Lake within 1.9 km, Cairn Lake at 2 km, Graan Lake within 3.9 km and Van Lake at 4.4 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Ann Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Rosedale cover white sucker, northern pike, yellow perch and johnny darter. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Ann Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 18°C, with January the cold end at about -20°C. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Expect the water usable from around early May until roughly mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Time your trip to Ann Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Mapped as intermittent, it fills after rain and shrinks between. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Coulsons Lake, 1.4 km away. For Ann Lake in particular, ask before you travel.