De Pauws Lake in Victoria: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  This water sits in Victoria, Manitoba. The ground around here is rolling bush. It measures about 17 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Some 52 km away sits Carberry, the nearest settlement. The big place round here is Winnipeg, 139 km distant. Close neighbours run: Simoens Lake at 1 km, Deschouwer Lake at about 1 km, Godard Lakes at 1.9 km, DeRuyck Lake at about 2 km and Lake Seven at 3.1 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on De Pauws Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Victoria, recorded fish include stonecat, bigmouth shiner, blackchin shiner and blacknose shiner. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of De Pauws Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -18°C and July at about 19°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. On De Pauws Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It is recorded as intermittent, which means the basin empties in dry spells. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Simoens Lake sits 1 km off and takes the overflow. Nothing on De Pauws Lake should be assumed from this page alone.