Leech Lake Fishing Guide, Kelsey, Manitoba

• Overview

  Set in Kelsey, Leech Lake is a Manitoba water. It sits at 201 metres above sea level. At about 64 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. There is roughly 11 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. It lies lower than most water we list in Manitoba. The closest town, Cross Lake 19A, is 56 km away. Winnipeg sits 578 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Leech Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Kelsey records list white sucker, johnny darter, northern pike, walleye and silver redhorse among the fish reported. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Leech Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -24°C in January up to 17°C in July. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. Once it clears, about early May, the fishing comes on quickly. Climate figures give an open season running early May to early November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. The season on Leech Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. This one is mapped as intermittent, so a wasted trip is a real risk in a dry year. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. The nearest alternative is Helman Lake, 4.4 km out. Ask locally about Leech Lake if anything is unclear.