Rat House Lake in Kelsey: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Rat House Lake in the Kelsey part of Manitoba. It stands 283 metres above sea level. At some 1.05 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Around 6.0 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. Nearest town is Snow Lake, 65 km off. The Pas is 78 km and Flin Flon 82 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Rat House Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Reported across Kelsey: white sucker, johnny darter, northern pike and walleye. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Rat House Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 17°C and January reads -22°C. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. Climate averages put the opening at about early May and the closing near early November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Rat House Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Four Mile Lake at 4.6 km is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Rat House Lake before loading the car.