Deadman Lake in Lac Ste. Anne County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Lac Ste. Anne County, Alberta, sits Deadman Lake. It lies 690 metres above sea level. This is sizeable water at about 2.81 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. At about 9.0 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. 25 km away sits Morinville, the nearest town. Westlock is 33 km and St. Albert 36 km. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Deadman Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Lac Ste. Anne County records list northern pike, walleye, white sucker and lake whitefish among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The shape of Deadman Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -14°C in January and 16°C in July. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Deadman Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Guy Lake, 5 km away. The position on Deadman Lake is worth confirming on the day.