St. Claire Lake, Manitoba: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Manitoba, St. Claire Lake falls inside Reynolds. The ground round it is rolling bush. This is sizeable water at about 1.01 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. You are looking at roughly 10 km of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. The closest town, Lac du Bonnet, is 61 km distant. Kenora is 69 km away, with Moose Lake at 75 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on St. Claire Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Reynolds cover northern pike, walleye, yellow perch, johnny darter and smallmouth bass. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Fish St. Claire Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 19°C and January reads -19°C. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. From about late April to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on St. Claire Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Muth Lake is 1.4 km distant. None of that is settled for St. Claire Lake in what we hold.