Hartnett Lake Fishing near Flin Flon, Manitoba

• Overview

  Hartnett Lake lies within the bounds of Manitoba. The country round it is lake country bush from end to end. It runs to roughly 11 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Shoreline comes to about 1.9 km, small enough to learn in a day. It is a small entry by Manitoba standards. Head to Flin Flon, 5.4 km away, for anything you forgot. The big place round here is Saskatoon, 433 km distant. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Hartnett 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. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On Hartnett Lake that means starting tight and working out. One good feature beats a mile of plain bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 18°C at the top of summer and -21°C at the bottom of winter. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about early November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Hartnett Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Milliken Lake is 1.7 km off. Check the current arrangement for Hartnett Lake.