Fishing Carpenters Lake in Kelsey, Manitoba

• Overview

  Carpenters Lake falls in Kelsey, part of Manitoba. The water sits 216 metres up. The water covers around 3.13 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. With 20 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Manitoba listings. Norway House lies 38 km from the water. Winnipeg is the closest city, 489 km away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Carpenters Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Kelsey include white sucker, johnny darter, northern pike, walleye and silver redhorse. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Carpenters Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 17°C in July and bottom out at -22°C in January. Winter runs most of the calendar, and everything worth doing happens in the gap. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. The water is typically free of ice between early May and early November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan around that when you fish Carpenters Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. The nearest alternative is Hairy Lake, 18 km out. Check the position at Carpenters Lake before loading the car.