Fishing Tie Camp Lake in Ethelbert, Manitoba

• Overview

  Set in Ethelbert, Manitoba, this is Tie Camp Lake. It lies 684 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 25 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Roughly 2.3 km of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. Compared with other Manitoba water on our list, it sits high. The nearest place of any size is Roblin, 40 km away. Kamsack lies 59 km off, Swan River another 66 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Tie Camp Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Ethelbert include Iowa darter, yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker and rainbow trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Tie Camp Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 16°C in July and bottoms out near -19°C in January. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. Climate figures give an open season running early May to early November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. That is the shape of the year on Tie Camp Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. The nearest alternative is Moose Lake, 1.3 km out. Rules at Tie Camp Lake are worth checking on the day.