Felstead Lake in Manitoba: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Manitoba, this is Felstead Lake. The water sits 366 metres up. At 1.63 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. The perimeter runs near 6.2 km, so plan the walk before you start. Nearest place of any size is Pelican Narrows, 401 km away. The big place round here is Saskatoon, 793 km distant. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Felstead Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Felstead Lake gives up more to patience than to distance. Read the wind first; it decides which bank is worth walking.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 15°C, the coldest about -27°C. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late May. Averages suggest open water from about late May through to roughly late October. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. It holds true on Felstead Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Suffron Lake at 3.3 km is the nearest alternative. The position on Felstead Lake is worth confirming on the day.