Fishing Belfie Lake in Manitoba, Manitoba

• Overview

  Set in Manitoba, Belfie Lake is a Manitoba water. It stands 363 metres above sea level. Around 19.33 sq km of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. Around 54 km of margin, so directions matter more than a general plan. Few waters listed in Manitoba are bigger. Supplies mean a trip to Pelican Narrows, 422 km off. Beyond it, Thompson at 423 km and Snow Lake at 460 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Belfie Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On Belfie Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort. Read the water for ten minutes before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 15°C, the coldest about -27°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late May. Averages place the thaw at late May and the freeze at late October. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Belfie Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Misty Lake at 6.1 km is the sensible second choice. Rules at Belfie Lake are worth checking on the day.