Birse Lake, Manitoba: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Birse Lake in Alexander, Manitoba. The bank is 308 metres above sea level. At 3.33 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. The edge covers about 16 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Size puts it in the front rank of our Alexander list. Nearest place of any size is Lac du Bonnet, 54 km away. Beausejour follows at 92 km, then Kenora at 93 km. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Birse Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Alexander records list smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Birse Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 19°C at the top of summer and -19°C at the bottom of winter. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Birse Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Blue Lake sits 1.7 km off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Birse Lake as something to verify.