Fishing at Colen Lakes, Manitoba, Manitoba

• Overview

  Look for Colen Lakes in the Manitoba part of Manitoba. This is spruce and muskeg country. Surface area runs to some 86.00 sq km, so a boat and a plan are both worth having. Its shape is complex, and the arms fish like separate waters. On our Manitoba list it sits near the top for size. Supplies mean a trip to Oxford House, 44 km off. Cross Lake 19A follows at 152 km, then Norway House at 170 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Colen Lakes

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Read Colen Lakes for ten minutes before the first cast goes out. Bright light pushes fish tight to whatever cover exists.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -22°C in January to roughly 17°C in July. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid May until roughly early November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Colen Lakes fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Ant Lake is 7.9 km distant. Rules at Colen Lakes are worth checking on the day.