Hassett Lake Fishing in Kelsey, Manitoba

• Overview

  Out in Kelsey, Manitoba, sits Hassett Lake. The bank gives way to taiga. At 7.97 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. Shoreline length is close to 20 km, and each section fishes a little differently. Few waters listed in Kelsey are bigger. You are 62 km from Snow Lake. It is 525 km to Saskatoon, the nearest city. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Hassett Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name white sucker, johnny darter and northern pike. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Hassett Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 17°C, while January sits near -24°C. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. The water is typically free of ice between early May and early November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Time your trip to Hassett Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Mahon Lake sits 5.5 km off and takes the overflow. Signs at Hassett Lake carry more weight than any list.