Yaap Lake in Riding Mountain West: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Riding Mountain West in Manitoba is where Yaap Lake sits. It lies 541 metres above sea level. At roughly 9 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. The nearest place of any size is Roblin, 16 km away. The nearest city of size is Regina, 261 km away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Yaap Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name white sucker, rock bass and blackside darter. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Fish Yaap Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 18°C and January near -19°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The lid tends to go about late April and return around mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. That is the shape of the year on Yaap Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Mapping flags this water as intermittent: it can be dry for part of the year, so check before travelling. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Soldier Lake, 0.5 km out. For Yaap Lake in particular, ask before you travel.