Hough Lake in Rossburn: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Hough Lake lies in Rossburn, in Manitoba. It sits in pine and birch country. Roughly 31 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. With about 2.8 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. It is a small entry by Rossburn standards. Dauphin at 41 km is the nearest place to stop. Roblin lies 73 km off, Minnedosa another 84 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Hough Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Rossburn include northern pike, Iowa darter, white sucker and rainbow trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Hough Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 17°C, while January sits near -19°C. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Hough Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Gunn Lake, 5.1 km away. None of that is settled for Hough Lake in what we hold.