AT A GLANCE
Why go?
Gemmell Lake is a small, actively stocked trout lake just outside the town of Lynn Lake in northern Manitoba, Canada. Managed by the provincial fish-stocking program, it receives annual releases of Brook Trout and Rainbow Trout, making it a reliable spot for anglers who want to fish close to a community with full services.↗↗
A campground sits right on the lakeshore, so you can pitch a tent, cast a line, and be back in town for supplies or a meal within minutes. It is one of many fishing lakes in a region that draws anglers from across Canada and beyond.↗↗
A Stocked Trout Lake with Easy Access
Unlike the remote fly-in lakes of the Canadian Shield, Gemmell Lake offers a straightforward fishing experience. The Manitoba stocking program has released fish here consistently since at least 2010, with a cumulative total of over 103,000 Brook Trout and 31,000 Rainbow Trout put into the lake. In 2024 alone, more than 100,000 Brook Trout were added, signaling active management and healthy numbers for the coming seasons.↗
The lake sits just southwest of the Lynn Lake townsite. It is short work from the highway to the shore, and the adjacent campground means you can camp and fish without hauling gear far. For anglers based in the community — or rolling through on a northern road trip — Gemmell Lake is a convenient option for an evening session or a full weekend.↗↗↗
Camping at the Lake
The Gemmell Lake Campground is located immediately adjacent to the lake, a few hundred metres east of the waterbody itself. It is an open campground in a boreal setting, ideal for families or anglers who want to base themselves directly on the water without needing a boat to reach the fishing spots.↗
Lynn Lake is a small regional service centre with grocery stores, fuel, dining options, and outfitters. You can stock up before heading to the lake or return to town easily for anything you have forgotten. The proximity to services is part of what makes this spot appealing compared to truly backcountry camps.↗
The Wider Lynn Lake Fishing Region
Gemmell Lake is part of a dense network of fishing lakes radiating from Lynn Lake along three main highway corridors. Within a few kilometres you will find Berge Lake Provincial Park with walleye and pike, and further out you can reach Zed Lake, Vandekerchove Lake, and the mighty Reindeer Lake. The region is renowned across Canada for northern pike and walleye, and the annual Great Northern Pike Fishing Derby draws competitors each summer.↗↗
What sets Gemmell Lake apart from its neighbours is its trout stocking. In a region dominated by walleye and pike, a lake specifically managed for Brook Trout and Rainbow Trout gives anglers a different experience — smaller, more hands-on fishing right from shore or a small boat, without the long runs to remote lakes.↗↗
The Landscape and Wildlife
Summer at this latitude brings up to 18 hours of daylight, meaning you can fish well into the evening. Mosquitoes are a fact of northern life in June and early July, so plan accordingly. By late summer and into autumn, the insects thin out and the forest begins its colour change. Winter is a different world: ice fishing, snowmobiling, and the possibility of Northern Lights overhead.↗
The boreal landscape around Lynn Lake is home to moose, black bear, wolves, and caribou. Loons call across the lakes at dusk, and the mix of eskers, rock outcrops, and muskeg gives the terrain a raw, sculpted quality shaped by retreating glaciers thousands of years ago.↗
What makes it special
Actively stocked with Brook Trout and Rainbow Trout — over 100,000 fish released in 2024 alone↗
Campground directly on the lakeshore for easy base-camp fishing↗
Minutes from Lynn Lake town services: fuel, groceries, dining, outfitters↗
One of dozens of fishing lakes in a region famous for northern pike and walleye↗
Up to 18 hours of summer daylight for extended fishing sessions↗
A little planning goes a long way
- Bring insect repellent for June and July; mosquitoes are intense in the northern boreal during peak season.
- A non-resident angling licence is required for fishing; applications are available through the Town of Lynn Lake offices.↗
- Lynn Lake outfitters and licensed guides can be arranged if you want to combine your Gemmell Lake trout fishing with walleye and pike trips on nearby lakes.↗
- Cellular coverage is limited or absent in much of the Lynn Lake area — download offline maps before heading out.
- The campground and fishing access are road-accessible from the highways radiating from Lynn Lake (Highways 391, 394, and 396).↗
About this guide
Compiled with AI assistance from the sources below; this is not a first-hand visit. Place details collected October 5, 2026. Hours, access and ratings can change; confirm with the venue before visiting.
