Cat Lake in Kelsey: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Cat Lake is one of the Kelsey waters in Manitoba. It sits in lake country bush country. At about 43 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. At about 5.3 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. The town to know is Flin Flon, 39 km out. Creighton is 41 km away, with Snow Lake at 81 km. Close by you have: Horseshoe Lake 1.4 km off, Pot Lake at 1.4 km, Kinghorn Lake 2.3 km off, Emerald Lake at 2.8 km and B.C. Lake 4.1 km off. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Cat Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Public occurrence data for Kelsey names white sucker, johnny darter and northern pike. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Work Cat Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -22°C in January and 17°C in July. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near early November in autumn. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Cat Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Horseshoe Lake, 1.4 km away. Check the position on Cat Lake before loading the car.