Banksian Lake Fishing in Alexander, Manitoba

• Overview

  Banksian Lake is an Alexander water, Manitoba side. Around the bank it is rolling bush. The water covers some 26 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Head to Lac du Bonnet, 81 km away, for anything you forgot. Red Lake is 101 km away, with Golden at 109 km. Close by you also have: Gem Lake within 1.3 km, Slate Lake a touch under 2 km, Lily Lake within 2.4 km, Lake Bon a touch under 2.4 km and Wrathall Lake within 3.5 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Banksian Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Alexander records list smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch and white sucker among the fish reported. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Banksian Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -19°C to 18°C. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Banksian Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Gem Lake, 1.3 km away. Where Banksian Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.