Skinner Lake, Manitoba: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Skinner Lake is set in Kelsey, Manitoba. It stands 198 metres above sea level. At some 1.21 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Around 8.7 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. It is low-lying compared with other Manitoba water we list. 58 km away sits Cross Lake 19A, the nearest town. Thompson is 63 km away, with Norway House at 132 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Skinner Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across Kelsey include white sucker, johnny darter, northern pike and walleye. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. At Skinner Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -24°C in January and 17°C in July. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. After mid May the shallows warm and the fish move up. The season between ice runs from about mid May to early November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Skinner Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Mustekapau Lake is 4.1 km distant. Ask locally about Skinner Lake if anything is unclear.