Fishing at Scott Lake, Ethelbert, Manitoba

• Overview

  The Ethelbert end of Manitoba holds Scott Lake. It sits at 727 metres above sea level. It measures about 12 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The bank runs about 1.8 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Manitoba listings. The town to know is Swan River, 38 km out. Kamsack is 78 km and Roblin 78 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Scott Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Ethelbert include Iowa darter, yellow perch and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Read Scott Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -19°C in January and 16°C in July. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near early November in autumn. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. That is the shape of the year on Scott Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Halasz Lake sits 1.3 km off and takes the overflow. Where Scott Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.