Fishing at Opuntia Lake, Winslow No. 319, Saskatchewan

• Overview

  Opuntia Lake falls in Winslow No. 319, part of Saskatchewan. Beyond the shoreline you have lake country bush. Surface area runs to some 14.02 sq km, so a boat and a plan are both worth having. You have roughly 28 km of edge to choose from, which rewards a scouting trip. The closest town, Kerrobert, is 39 km distant. It is 136 km to Saskatoon, the nearest city. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Opuntia Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Opuntia Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 18°C; the cold one sits at -16°C. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. That shapes the year on Opuntia Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Little Tramping Lake is 24 km distant. Treat access at Opuntia Lake as something to verify.