Franklin Lake in Manitoba: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Franklin Lake is set in Manitoba. What surrounds it is boreal forest. At some 1.07 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The shoreline runs about 5.4 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Pelican Narrows sits 212 km from the bank. Further out sit Snow Lake (217 km) and Thompson (226 km). No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Franklin Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Franklin Lake fishes better once you know its edges. The far bank looks better because you cannot see the snags.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 16°C in July and bottoms out near -25°C in January. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid May. Break-up near mid May, freeze-up near early November: that is the shape of an average year. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. The season on Franklin Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Ken Lake is 1.1 km off. Ask locally about Franklin Lake if anything is unclear.