Emily Lake in Manitoba: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Emily Lake in the Manitoba part of Manitoba. Height above sea level is 347 metres. Surface area runs to roughly 1.04 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The shoreline runs about 6.2 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. The town to know is Kenora, 58 km out. After that come Lac du Bonnet at 67 km and Moose Lake at 82 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Emily 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. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Read Emily Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out. Sudden pressure changes tend to shut fish down for a few hours.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 19°C, the coldest about -19°C. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Emily Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Sanders Lake is 1 km off. Nothing here settles the position at Emily Lake for certain.