Little Manitou Rapids Fishing in Kelsey, Manitoba

• Overview

  The Kelsey entry here is Little Manitou Rapids, in Manitoba. It sits at 189 metres above sea level. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Manitoba listings. You are 26 km from Cross Lake 19A. Winnipeg sits 550 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Other water within reach: Sesep Rapids out at 4.3 km, 5.2 km away is Greenaway Lake, Baxter Lake out at 6.3 km, 8.5 km away is Redrock Rapids and Duck Lake out at 9.5 km. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Little Manitou Rapids

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Kelsey: white sucker, johnny darter, northern pike, walleye and silver redhorse. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Work Little Manitou Rapids in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 17°C at the top of summer and -24°C at the bottom of winter. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near early November: that is the shape of an average year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. That is the shape of the year on Little Manitou Rapids.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Sesep Rapids, 4.3 km away. The position on Little Manitou Rapids is worth confirming on the day.