Minnow Lake in Torch River No. 488: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Minnow Lake sits in Torch River No. 488, out in Saskatchewan. Height above sea level is 392 metres. With some 74 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Around 3.7 km of margin, front to back. The closest town, La Ronge, is 111 km away. The big place round here is Saskatoon, 301 km distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Minnow Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Torch River No. 488 include brook trout, northern pike, lake trout and johnny darter. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Minnow Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 17°C; the cold one sits at -21°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early May. The water is typically free of ice between early May and early November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. At Minnow Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Beck Lake sits 4.3 km off and takes the overflow. Where Minnow Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.