Fishing Charcoal Lake in Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan

• Overview

  Charcoal Lake is set in Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan. The land about it is northern bush. Around 84.86 sq km of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. The outline is heavily broken, with arms and bays reaching well back from the main body. Size puts it in the front rank of our Stony Rapids list. Pelican Narrows is the closest town at 407 km. For a city, Saskatoon is 791 km off. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Charcoal Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Stony Rapids: cisco, northern pike, round whitefish and lake chub. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Take Charcoal Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 15°C, while January sits near -26°C. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. Break-up comes around late May, and the run that follows is short and strong. On average, late May opens the water and late October closes it again. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Charcoal Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Pikusikun Lake sits 9.4 km off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Charcoal Lake as something to verify.