Doe Lake Fishing Guide, Ethelbert, Manitoba

• Overview

  Within Ethelbert, Manitoba, you have Doe Lake. The bank gives way to spruce and muskeg. It covers about 8 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. A shoreline of some 1.8 km keeps the choices simple. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Manitoba listings. Swan River sits 40 km from here and is the nearest stop. The nearest city of size is Regina, 294 km away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Doe Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Ethelbert include Iowa darter, yellow perch and northern pike. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Doe Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 16°C and January reads -19°C. Water stays cold even at the height of the year. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about early November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. That shapes the year on Doe 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 built facilities appear in mapping around this water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. The nearest alternative is Bidochka Lake, 1.3 km out. Where Doe Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.