Fishing Millen Lake in Reynolds, Manitoba

• Overview

  The Reynolds end of Manitoba holds Millen Lake. Height above sea level is 340 metres. With some 23 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Bank access stretches around 1.9 km in total. Moose Lake is the closest town at 60 km. Kenora is 68 km and Lac du Bonnet 72 km. Within easy reach: Wanlin Lake at 1.3 km, Charuk Lake (1.8 km), Rye Lake at 2.1 km, Watt Lake (2.3 km) and Split Lakes at 2.3 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Millen Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across Reynolds include northern pike, walleye, yellow perch and johnny darter. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Millen Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 19°C and January near -19°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Expect Millen Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Wanlin Lake is 1.3 km off. Nothing here settles the position at Millen Lake for certain.