Pocock Lake in Piney: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Piney in Manitoba is where Pocock Lake sits. It lies 330 metres above sea level. About 8 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Nearest place of any size is La Broquerie, 18 km away. Winnipeg is the closest city, 80 km away. Also within reach: The Beaver Pond at about 2.6 km, 14 km out stands Hugo Lake, Lac Phaneuf at about 24 km, 25 km out stands Lac Bosse and Windy Lake at about 31 km. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Pocock Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Piney records list sauger, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch and johnny darter among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Pocock Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 19°C for July and -18°C for January. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. At Pocock Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Pocock Lake Ecological Reserve covers ground next to the water; its rules will apply on that side. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The Beaver Pond sits 2.6 km off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Pocock Lake.