Fishing Ellystan Lake in Manitoba, Manitoba

• Overview

  Ellystan Lake is listed under Manitoba. The surface lies 297 metres up. This is sizeable water at about 2.52 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. The perimeter runs near 19 km, so plan the walk before you start. The closest town, Thompson, is 199 km away. Then Snow Lake, 220 km, and Pelican Narrows, 245 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Ellystan Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On Ellystan Lake that means starting tight and working out. The far bank looks better because you cannot see the snags.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -26°C in January to roughly 16°C in July. The ice season is long here and the open one short. Ice-out usually falls in mid May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Climate averages put the opening at about mid May and the closing near early November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. At Ellystan Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• 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. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Kuskitumusk Lake is 1.9 km distant. Check the current arrangement for Ellystan Lake.