Fishing Paterson Lake in County of St. Paul No. 19, Alberta

• Overview

  Paterson Lake is a County of St. Paul No. 19 water, in Alberta. Land around it is spruce and muskeg. It runs to roughly 60 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The shape is regular, which means fewer obvious ambush corners. For supplies, Elk Point is 32 km out. It is 201 km to Edmonton, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Paterson Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County of St. Paul No. 19 records list yellow perch, Iowa darter and northern pike among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Anyone new to Paterson Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 17°C, with January the cold end at about -17°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. The season on Paterson Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Alma Lake, 3.6 km out. Rules at Paterson Lake are worth checking on the day.