Dodds Lake, Manitoba: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Dodds Lake lies within the bounds of Kelsey, Manitoba. The ground round it is pine and birch. Around 47 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The bank runs about 4.4 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. For supplies, Flin Flon is 32 km out. For a city, Saskatoon is 446 km off. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Dodds Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Public occurrence data for Kelsey names white sucker, johnny darter, northern pike, walleye and silver redhorse. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The near bank of Dodds Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 17°C; the cold one sits at -22°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid usually goes in early May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The season between ice runs from about early May to early November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. The season on Dodds Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Otter Lake at 1 km is the nearest alternative. For Dodds Lake in particular, ask before you travel.