Rat Lake, Manitoba: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Rat Lake is a Manitoba water, in Manitoba. The bank is 705 metres above sea level. At about 11 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Bank access stretches around 1.6 km in total. On size it sits at the modest end of our Manitoba list. Nearest place of any size is Swan River, 41 km away. Beyond it, Hudson Bay at 76 km and Preeceville at 98 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Rat Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish Rat Lake to its features, not to its size. Bright light pushes fish tight to whatever cover exists.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -19°C in January up to 16°C in July. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about early November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Rat Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try Halls Lake, 1.2 km away. What applies at Rat Lake may have changed since it was mapped.