First Lake near Swan River: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  The Manitoba end of Manitoba holds First Lake. The water sits 685 metres up. At roughly 10 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Our Manitoba list holds plenty of bigger water. For supplies, Swan River is 32 km out. Kamsack lies 65 km off, Roblin another 72 km. Others worth noting: Second Lake 0.8 km away, Third Lake at about 1.1 km, Little Bobs Lake 1.1 km away, Big Bobs Lake at about 1.7 km and Burr Lake 4.2 km away. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on First Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shape of First Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank. Weed gaps hold fish when the beds themselves are too thick.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 16°C in July and bottoms out near -19°C in January. Everything is compressed into the middle of the year. The lid usually goes in early May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about early November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at First Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Second Lake sits 0.8 km off and takes the overflow. Check the current arrangement for First Lake.