Manitoba · Canada
West Hawk Lake
Formed by an ancient meteorite impact, West Hawk Lake is Manitoba's deepest lake with exceptionally clear water popular for scuba diving. The crater lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park holds walleye, northern pike, yellow perch and smallmouth bass; all trout must be released and trout fishing is closed Nov 1 to Apr 15. A Manitoba government bathymetric map is linked below.
- Region
- Manitoba, Canada
- Nearest community
- West Hawk Lake
- Size
- 14.6 km2
- Depth
- 125 m
- Regulation zone
- Southern Division
Species in West Hawk Lake
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Also stocked
Seasons & limits — Southern Division
| Species | Season | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye (Pickerel) & Sauger (either or combined) | Southern Division: closed April 6, 2026 to May 8, 2026; open May 9, 2026 to April 4, 2027. Northwest Division: closed May 1 to May 15, 2026; open May 16, 2026 to April 30, 2027. North Central Division: closed May 1 to May 15, 2026; open May 16, 2026 to April 30, 2027. Northeast Division: generally open all year (waterbody-specific closures apply). Lake Winnipeg: walleye/sauger closed April 6 to May 15, 2026. | 4 | None may exceed 55 cm |
| Northern Pike (Jackfish) | Open year-round (all divisions; waterbody-specific closures apply) | 4 | None may exceed 75 cm |
| Lake Trout | Southern Division: closed September 15 to October 31, 2026; open November 1, 2026 to September 14, 2027. New 2026 rule: Area A (eastern Manitoba) — all lake trout over 55 cm must be released. Northwest/North Central: generally open year-round per general limits (check waterbody-specific closures). | 1 | None may exceed 65 cm |
| Smallmouth Bass | Open year-round (all divisions; waterbody-specific closures apply) | 4 | None may exceed 45 cm |
| Yellow Perch | Open year-round (all divisions; waterbody-specific closures apply) | 25 | No size restriction (provincially) |
| Stocked Brook, Brown & Rainbow Trout, Splake & Trout Hybrids, & Arctic Char (in stocked trout waters) | Open year-round (all divisions; waterbody-specific closures apply) | 3 | Only one may exceed 45 cm; none may exceed 60 cm |
No waterbody-specific rules listed — general Southern Division limits apply.
Always confirm regulations with the official provincial guide before fishing — rules change, and waterbody-specific exceptions apply.
Manitoba Master Angler qualifying sizes
- Walleye — minimum 71 cm (28 in)
- Northern Pike — minimum 104 cm (41 in)
- Yellow Perch — minimum 33 cm (13 in)
- Smallmouth Bass — minimum 46 cm (18 in)
- Lake Trout — minimum 89 cm (35 in)
- Arctic Char — minimum 51 cm (20 in)
- Brook Trout — minimum 51 cm (20 in)
- Brown Trout — minimum 51 cm (20 in)
- Lake Trout — minimum 89 cm (35 in)
- Lake Whitefish — minimum 56 cm (22 in)
- Largemouth Bass — minimum 46 cm (18 in)
- Rainbow Trout — minimum 51 cm (20 in)
- Smallmouth Bass — minimum 46 cm (18 in)
- Splake — minimum 51 cm (20 in)
- Walleye — minimum 71 cm (28 in)
From the Manitoba Master Angler Program (Travel Manitoba).
More Manitoba lakes
Species & regulations: 2026 Manitoba Anglers' Guide, via the Bump Board dataset.