Fishing South Messier Lake in Killarney-Turtle Mountain, Manitoba

• Overview

  South Messier Lake stands in Killarney-Turtle Mountain, Manitoba. The country here is lake country bush. The water covers some 15 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Start from Belcourt, 22 km down the road. Shell Valley lies 23 km off, Rolla another 27 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on South Messier Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Killarney-Turtle Mountain cover white sucker, johnny darter and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On South Messier Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 18°C on average, January about -17°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. South Messier Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Public mapping marks it as seasonal water rather than permanent. A launch point is recorded some 960 m off. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Messier Lake sits 0.6 km off and takes the overflow. Where South Messier Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.