'Lake Winnipegosis' () is a large (5,370 km²)
lake in central
North America, in
Manitoba,
Canada, some 300 km northwest of
Winnipeg. It is Canada's eleventh-largest lake.
The elongated, 195 kilometre long lake is the second-largest of three large lakes in central Manitoba; the other two are
Lake Winnipeg, the largest, and
Lake Manitoba. All three lakes are on the floor of the prehistoric
Glacial Lake Agassiz.
The lake's
watershed extends over some 49,825 km² in
Manitoba and
Saskatchewan. Tributaries include the
Red Deer,
Woody, and
Swan rivers. The lake drains through the
Water Hen River into Lake Manitoba, and is thus part of the
Lake Winnipeg,
Nelson River, and
Hudson Bay watersheds.
The lake's name derives from that of Lake Winnipeg, with a diminutive suffix. Winnipeg means 'big muddy waters' and Winnipegosis means 'little muddy waters'.
The lake is famous for its commercial fishery of
walleye and other
freshwater species. It is also well known for its migratory bird populations, which make it a prime
hunting area in the fall.
Communities on the lake include
Camperville and
Winnipegosis. Winnipegosis is a village on the south end of the lake. The population is about 700 people.