Pickel Lake in Kelvington No. 366: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Within Kelvington No. 366, Saskatchewan, you have Pickel Lake. This is taiga country. The water covers around 1.95 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. The outline measures near 11 km, so local knowledge counts. The nearest place of any size is Wadena, 57 km away. Further out sit Preeceville (61 km) and Tisdale (76 km). The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Pickel Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. 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 Kelvington No. 366 list Iowa darter, johnny darter and common shiner. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Read Pickel Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 17°C; by January the average is down near -19°C. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. The open-water window runs from around late April to about early November in an average year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Time your trip to Pickel Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. This one is mapped as intermittent, so a wasted trip is a real risk in a dry year. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Klogei Lake, 4.3 km away. None of that is settled for Pickel Lake in what we hold.