Fishing North Shoal Lake in St. Laurent, Manitoba

• Overview

  The St. Laurent end of Manitoba holds North Shoal Lake. Elevation runs to 257 metres. At roughly 43.29 sq km it ranks among the larger waters in the region. Around 60 km of margin, so directions matter more than a general plan. Across our Manitoba listings, few waters are bigger. Start from Stonewall, 45 km down the road. It is 76 km to Winnipeg, the nearest city. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on North Shoal Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Survey and observation records for St. Laurent include common carp, northern pike, walleye and freshwater drum. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At North Shoal Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 19°C in July and bottom out at -19°C in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near mid November in autumn. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. The season on North Shoal Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. For a change of water, East Shoal Lake is 13 km distant. Where North Shoal Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.