Stillwater · Granite · Manitoba

West Hawk Lake

West Hawk Lake terrain map

West Hawk Lake, a meteorite-crater lake in the eastern Whiteshell, is Manitoba's deepest lake — cold, clear Shield water holding lake trout, smallmouth bass and stocked rainbows.

Fair · Rainbow
Articulated Leech · 2-6
A respectable few hours, if you choose your moments
Glassy and bright — hard work without a breeze. Hard work without breeze. Look for the dimples.
48% confidence
limited data
What moved it
  • WindSW 1 km/hDead calm
Today's fly
AL
Articulated Leech2-6
High-confidence seasonal pick
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Dead calm
SW 1 km/h
N
SW
from the south-west
WaveFlat calm
Water temp—
Air temp20°C
CloudClear
Pressure1011 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
No strong hatch signals at the moment — general searching tactics should work best. Calm conditions may limit drift fishing — consider buzzers or dry fly if fish are rising.
Where
With limited drift, anchor or fish static from sheltered positions. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. In the calm, a single dry fly or a slowly-fished nymph tends to out-fish an active retrieve.
The plan
Plan A

With limited drift, anchor or fish static from sheltered positions. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. In the calm, a single dry fly or a slowly-fished nymph tends to out-fish an active retrieve.

Plan B

If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.

Watch for

Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.

Bank

Flat calm suits bank fishing near features — points, weed beds, and inflows where fish patrol.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

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Through the year
0–3 scale · July highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Flying AntsHatch
1
1
Gray DrakeHatch
1
1
CallibaetisHatch
1
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Rainbow fly box
AL
Articulated LeechTop
2-6 · Pattern
High-confidence seasonal pick
LB
Large Baitfish Streamer
1/0-4 · Pattern
Proven pattern for this period
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Eastern Manitoba (Whiteshell); verify the current Manitoba Anglers' Guide.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
52%
Cloud25%
Wind65%
Temp60%

A reasonable day here, though cloud isn't quite in the sweet spot.

Other water nearby · 2
Whiteshell stocked trout lakes
4.0 km
Rainbow trout · Brook trout · Brown trout
Caddy Lake
6.0 km
Rainbow trout · Brook trout · Brown trout
About this water

West Hawk Lake, a meteorite-crater lake in the eastern Whiteshell, is Manitoba's deepest lake — cold, clear Shield water holding lake trout, smallmouth bass and stocked rainbows. The depth keeps the lakers cold all summer; fly anglers take them shallow at ice-off and work the rocky shorelines for smallmouth.

Under the surface

Manitoba's deepest lake — a clear granite meteorite-crater lake with lake trout, smallmouth bass and stocked rainbows.

Wading: Deep clear lake, sudden weather — boat fishery

  • Lake
  • Granite
  • Stillwater
  • Shoal
Why this score
  • summer conditions with clear skies and calm wind.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 January → 31 December
Related guides
Thermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperatureEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts