Fishing Otter Lake in Rosedale, Manitoba

• Overview

  Set in Rosedale, Manitoba, this is Otter Lake. This is mixed forest ground. This is sizeable water at about 9.40 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. The perimeter runs near 23 km, so plan the walk before you start. Of the waters listed here in Rosedale, this is the largest. The closest town, Minnedosa, is 28 km away. It is 204 km to Winnipeg, the nearest city. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Otter Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Rosedale cover white sucker, northern pike, yellow perch and johnny darter. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Otter Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 17°C; by January the average is down near -20°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. Expect the water usable from around early May until roughly mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Otter Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Eleven Lake, 2.2 km out. Confirm before you fish Otter Lake.