Fishing Leaf Lake in Manitoba, Manitoba

• Overview

  Set in Manitoba, this is Leaf Lake. The ground round it is boreal forest. Small even by pond standards, it rewards one careful line. Our Manitoba list holds plenty of bigger water. Thompson sits 156 km from here and is the nearest stop. Snow Lake is 175 km and Flin Flon 220 km. Round about: Crater Lake at 4 km, Turnbull Lake (5.1 km), Kapecheekunikwa Lake at 9.2 km, Doran Lake (11 km) and Buzz Horne Lake at 12 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Leaf Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The near bank of Leaf Lake is often the one people ignore. Watch for the line where weed gives way to clean bottom.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 16°C in July and bottoms out near -25°C in January. Water stays cold even at the height of the year. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid May. On average, mid May opens the water and early November closes it again. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Leaf Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Some banks are open only from a marked point. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Crater Lake at 4 km is the sensible second choice. Signs at Leaf Lake carry more weight than any list.