Fishing at Meadow Lake, Hudson Bay No. 394, Saskatchewan

• Overview

  Meadow Lake is a Hudson Bay No. 394 water, in Saskatchewan. It sits in rolling bush. At roughly 12.21 sq km it ranks among the larger waters in the region. Around 21 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. Some 82 km away sits Hudson Bay, the nearest settlement. Nipawin is 85 km and The Pas 104 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Meadow Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Open biodiversity records for Hudson Bay No. 394 list goldeye, northern pike, white sucker, johnny darter and logperch. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Meadow Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -20°C and July at about 18°C, the water has a wide range to work through. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. The lid tends to go about late April and return around mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. The season on Meadow Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Booy Lake at 3.3 km is the nearest alternative. The position on Meadow Lake is worth confirming on the day.