The Lac du Bonnet Wildlife Association Ponds & Interpretive Trail
The Lac du Bonnet Wildlife Association Ponds are located on PTH 11, 1.5 km North of junction PR 313. The main pond consists of 5.2 hectares to fish, boat or paddle on. There are also several smaller ponds in the area where you can spot a variety of wildlife while you explore the 1.2 km Interpretive Trail!
Angling is one of Lac du Bonnetās favourite pastimes! Developed by the Lac du Bonnet Wildlife Association, the ponds are where outdoor lovers can spend a day of fishing, hiking, fun, and relaxation. The scenery is beautiful, with tall grass, rocky outcrops, and a variety of trees, wildflowers, and berries. An abundance of wildlife frequents the area.
Whether angling, boating, paddling, hiking, bird watching, or dog walking, the Ponds and Interpretive Trail offer an excellent opportunity to view nature up close. Please respect the effort of our volunteers who built and maintain the area. Practice catch and release and leave nothing behind but your footprints. Place your garbage and recycling into bins located throughout the area.
Take Your Boat on the Ponds!
Boating is a popular outdoor pleasure on the Lac du Bonnet Wildlife Association Ponds — the area is a great place to canoe, kayak or boat and a calm, safe place to enjoy nature and wildlife. A small boat launch and dock is available to help you get on the water.
Please beware that gas motors are not allowed. By law, boating is restricted to electric motors only. Please ensure your watercraft and equipment has been properly cleaned and dried to prevent the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species.
Lac du Bonnet is known for great outdoor recreation and the Ponds provide a unique outdoor experience. While youāre on the water, relax and do a little fishing. You will have a great afternoon on the water here.
What You’ll Find on the Ponds
Brown Trout
Distinguished from rainbow trout by black spots along their top and red spots with a pale halo around them along the lower sides, brown trout are aggressive predators that choose to feed at night. They eat a variety of insects, as well as frogs, and fish.
Rainbow Trout
One of the most commonly stocked trout species in the province, rainbow trout has a reddish stripe and black spots along their side. They can grow to over 75 cm (30 inches) and feed on a variety of aquatic and terrestrial insects as well as other fish.
Tiger Trout
As the name suggests, tiger trout have stripes or colour patterns resembling a tiger. This genetic hybrid is a cross between brown and brook trout. They are mainly fish eaters.
The main pond was expanded in 2023 by excavating an area to connect it to a nearby smaller pond. The expansion gives 5.2 hectares of habitat stocked regularly with Rainbow, Brown, and Tiger Trout. In addition, trail improvements were made, and 4 new angling platforms were added around the ponds to increase access for shore anglers. These platforms are accessible to those with mobility issues. In 2024 we made further improvements to allow barrier free access including installing wheelchair accessible picnic tables. Ice fishing is also a popular activity and the ponds are aerated to prevent winter kill. The area around the aerator is clearly marked and fenced off for safety but caution must still be used anytime on the ice.
Catch & Release
āCatch & Releaseā is highly encouraged to ensure a high-quality angling experience for everyone.
By law, all Brown Trout and Tiger Trout must be released. It is hoped to further develop a Master Angler fishery for Brown and Tiger Trout. For those who would like a meal, a regular limit of 3 Rainbows can still be kept (only one may exceed 45 cm, and none may exceed 60 cm).
Pond Stocking Records
| Year | Details |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 1000 Tigers, 500 Rainbows |
| 2023 | 1000 Rainbows, 500 Browns, 80 Adult Brood Stock Browns |
| 2022 | 1000 Tigers, 500 Rainbows, 500 Browns |
| 2021 | 1000 Rainbows, 500 Browns |
| 2020 | 500 Tigers, 2000 Rainbows, 500 Browns, 154 Adult Brood Stock Browns (3 separate Stockings) |
| 2019 | 750 Tigers, 1000 Rainbows, 750 Browns, 80 Adult Brood Stock Browns (2 separate stockings) |
| 2018 | 2000 Rainbows, 500 Browns, 100 Adult Brood Stock Browns (2 separate stockings), 15 Adult Brood Stock Brook Trout |
| 2017 | 500 Tigers, 500 Rainbows (including Albino Rainbows), 500 Browns, 33 Adult Brood Stock Browns |
Take A Walk With Nature
Take a walk in nature on the 1.2 km interpretive trail. Itās a beautiful hike that takes about 30 minutes.
The ponds provide important habitat for a variety of waterfowl including migrating ducks and geese, as well as common loons, which stay all summer. Redwing blackbirds frequently nest in the cattail vegetation along the edge of the ponds, and many other species of songbirds can be observed.
The habitat surrounding the ponds also includes an impressive variety of flowering plants. Species such as strawberry, raspberry, chokecherry, and saskatoon are an important food source for wildlife, as well as a tasty treat for humans too!
Pond Sponsors
We recognize all those who have supported the Lac du Bonnet Wildlife Association Ponds. The development of this project was accomplished through the generosity of our supporters.
We wish to thank the following sponsors for their generous financial or in-kind contributions.
Gold Partner $15,000+
- Fisheries & Oceans, Canada
Recreational Fisheries Conservation Partnerships Program - Manitoba Hydro ā Forest Enhancement Program
- Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Fund
- RM of Lac du Bonnet
Silver Partner $5,000+
- Manitoba Lodges & Outfitters Association
- Lac du Bonnet Charitable Foundation
- Lac du Bonnet Ice Fishing Derby
- S&H Docks and Lifts
- Anonymous
Bronze Partner $1,000+
- Town of Lac du Bonnet
- Canada Culvert
- Kelvin Cartage
- Friends $500+
- Grewinsky Trucking
- AML Concrete
- āOnly Smallā Concrete Jobs
- Northeast Contractors
- Sveinson Signs
Your Membership Helps Maintain our Wildlife Ponds