Fishing at Blind Lakes, Manitoba, Manitoba

• Overview

  Look for Blind Lakes in Manitoba. The ground around here is northern bush. Surface area is around 12 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The full circuit measures close to 3.1 km on foot. On size it sits at the modest end of our Manitoba list. For a base, Thompson sits 104 km out. After that come Gillam at 105 km and Oxford House at 124 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Blind Lakes

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. At Blind Lakes the water rewards a slow, careful approach. Keep back from the edge where the water runs clear.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -24°C in January. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. Once it clears, about mid May, the fishing comes on quickly. The water is typically free of ice between mid May and early November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan any trip to Blind Lakes around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Spring Lake at 6 km is the nearest alternative. Signs at Blind Lakes carry more weight than any list.