Pelican Lake, Manitoba: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Pelican Lake lies in Prairie Lakes, Manitoba. The ground around here is lake country bush. Surface area runs to some 27.44 sq km, so a boat and a plan are both worth having. The shoreline runs to about 41 km, far more than one trip can cover. It is the biggest water on our Prairie Lakes list. Killarney sits 19 km from the bank. Boissevain is 37 km and Shilo 52 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Pelican Lake

  Recorded depth comes to 5.2 m. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Prairie Lakes include northern pike, black bullhead, Iowa darter, rock bass and yellow perch. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Fish Pelican Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 19°C and January near -17°C. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. The open-water window runs from around late April to about mid November in an average year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. The season on Pelican Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  This one is in public ownership, with the usual conditions. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Willoughbys Lake is 7 km off. Treat access at Pelican Lake as something to verify.