Fishing at Pelican Lake, Mortlach, Saskatchewan

• Overview

  Saskatchewan holds Pelican Lake, in Mortlach. Country round the bank runs to pine and birch. This is big water, about 26.18 sq km, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. The perimeter is close to 41 km, and wind can be flat in one arm and rough in the next. The town to know is Moose Jaw, 36 km out. Then Regina Beach, 77 km, and Lumsden, 81 km. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Pelican Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Anyone new to Pelican Lake should walk it once before setting up. Depth change is worth more than distance from the bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -15°C and July at about 20°C, the water has a wide range to work through. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near mid November in autumn. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Anyone fishing Pelican Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Eye Lake sits 38 km off and takes the overflow. What applies at Pelican Lake may have changed since it was mapped.