Fishing Hilliards Lake in Rosedale, Manitoba

• Overview

  Set in Rosedale, Hilliards Lake is a Manitoba water. The surface lies 612 metres up. Surface area is around 39 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The edge covers about 5.1 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Minnedosa lies 17 km from the water. For a city, Winnipeg is 203 km off. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Hilliards Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Rosedale include white sucker, northern pike, yellow perch, johnny darter and Iowa darter. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Hilliards Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 18°C and January reads -19°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Expect Hilliards Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. 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 bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Greenlaws Lake at 2.2 km is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Hilliards Lake for certain.