Fishing at Black Beaver Lake, Ethelbert, Manitoba

• Overview

  Black Beaver Lake lies in Ethelbert, in Manitoba. It lies 724 metres above sea level. With some 60 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Around 4.2 km of margin, front to back. On our Ethelbert list it sits near the top for size. Swan River is the closest place, 45 km off. Further out sit Roblin (68 km) and Kamsack (74 km). The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Black Beaver Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name Iowa darter, yellow perch and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Black Beaver Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -19°C in January and 16°C in July. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early May. Ice clears near early May and comes back about early November in a typical year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. That is the shape of the year on Black Beaver Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Prieston Lake is 1.3 km off. Rules at Black Beaver Lake are worth checking on the day.