Fishing Cumming Lake in Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan

• Overview

  Cumming Lake lies within the bounds of Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan. This is taiga ground. Roughly 67 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. It is a small entry by Stony Rapids standards. The nearest place of any size is Fort Smith, 368 km away. The big place round here is Saskatoon, 806 km distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Cumming Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across Stony Rapids include cisco, northern pike, round whitefish, lake chub and slimy sculpin. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Cumming Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -26°C in January up to 15°C in July. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid May. On average, mid May opens the water and late October closes it again. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Anyone fishing Cumming Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. For a change of water, McGinnis Lake is 3.8 km distant. The position on Cumming Lake is worth confirming on the day.