Key Lake in Manitoba: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Key Lake stands in Manitoba. The ground around here is taiga. About 9 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Manitoba. You are 29 km from Swan River. The big place round here is Regina, 308 km distant. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Key Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On Key Lake a short move beats a long cast. Deeper water next to shallow is more useful than either on its own.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 16°C in July and bottoms out near -19°C in January. Winter runs most of the calendar, and everything worth doing happens in the gap. Once it clears, about early May, the fishing comes on quickly. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near early November: that is the shape of an average year. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Key Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Tie Road Lake at 1.3 km is the nearest alternative. The position on Key Lake is worth confirming on the day.