Fishing at Meat Lake, Kelsey, Manitoba

• Overview

  Meat Lake lies within the bounds of Kelsey, Manitoba. The bank is 307 metres above sea level. About 1.63 sq km, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. At about 7.4 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Snow Lake lies 55 km from the water. Flin Flon is 79 km away, with Creighton at 82 km. If this one is busy: Gohl Lake within 4.7 km, Moody Lake at 5.3 km, Nokomis Lake within 6.9 km, Wapu Lake at 7.7 km and Star Lake within 7.7 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Meat Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. 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. Public occurrence data for Kelsey names white sucker, johnny darter, northern pike, walleye and silver redhorse. The county list is broader than any single water. Take Meat Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 17°C and January reads -23°C. Cold dominates the calendar on water this far north. Once it clears, about early May, the fishing comes on quickly. Ice clears near early May and comes back about early November in a typical year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Meat Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Gohl Lake, 4.7 km out. Confirm before you fish Meat Lake.