Fishing Goldeye Lake in St. Andrews, Manitoba

• Overview

  Goldeye Lake lies in St. Andrews, Manitoba. Elevation runs to 215 metres. At about 52 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. There is roughly 4.3 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Our St. Andrews list holds plenty of bigger water. The closest town, Selkirk, is 14 km away. Winnipeg sits 48 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Goldeye Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public occurrence data for St. Andrews names black bullhead, common carp, freshwater drum and bigmouth buffalo. The county list is broader than any single water. Read Goldeye Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 19°C for July and -18°C for January. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Goldeye Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Mink Lake, 2 km away. Where Goldeye Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.