Bayly Lake Fishing in Kelsey, Manitoba

• Overview

  In Manitoba, Bayly Lake falls inside Kelsey. It sits at 196 metres above sea level. Around 48 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The bank runs about 4.3 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Manitoba listings. Supplies mean a trip to Thompson, 47 km off. Winnipeg sits 626 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Bayly Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name white sucker, johnny darter, northern pike, walleye and silver redhorse. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Work Bayly Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 16°C and January near -24°C on the long-run figures. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. Winter locks it down, and mid May brings it back. The water is typically free of ice between mid May and early November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. The season on Bayly Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. McDermott Lake at 1.4 km is the sensible second choice. For Bayly Lake in particular, ask before you travel.