Hawk Lake in Kelsey: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Hawk Lake in the Kelsey part of Manitoba. What surrounds it is spruce and muskeg. Surface area runs to roughly 1.48 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The perimeter runs near 9.2 km, so plan the walk before you start. It lies lower than most water we list in Manitoba. Some 64 km away sits Cross Lake 19A, the nearest settlement. Thompson is 67 km and Snow Lake 122 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Hawk Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name white sucker, johnny darter, northern pike, walleye and silver redhorse. The county list is broader than any single water. On Hawk Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 17°C and January at -24°C. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. Count the season from break-up, usually mid May. Ice clears near mid May and comes back about early November in a typical year. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. That is the shape of the year on Hawk Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Cole Lake sits 1.7 km off and takes the overflow. Rules at Hawk Lake are worth checking on the day.