Fishing at Cox Lake, Ethelbert, Manitoba

• Overview

  In Manitoba, Cox Lake belongs to Ethelbert. Height above sea level is 736 metres. Surface area is around 11 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. There is roughly 1.3 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Manitoba listings. Nearest town is Swan River, 33 km off. For a city, Regina is 304 km off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Cox Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Ethelbert names Iowa darter, yellow perch and northern pike. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The shape of Cox Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 16°C and January reads -19°C. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly early November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Time your trip to Cox Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Till Lake, 1.2 km away, makes the obvious fallback. For Cox Lake in particular, ask before you travel.