Fishing Prokopchuk Lake in Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan

• Overview

  Out in Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan, sits Prokopchuk Lake. Beyond the shoreline you have taiga. The water covers some 86 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The shoreline runs about 8.9 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Most waters listed here for Stony Rapids are larger. Fort Smith at 342 km is the nearest place to stop. For a city, Edmonton is 801 km off. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Prokopchuk Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Stony Rapids, recorded fish include cisco, northern pike, round whitefish and lake chub. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Prokopchuk Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 15°C; by January the average is down near -27°C. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late May. On average, late May opens the water and late October closes it again. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Anyone fishing Prokopchuk Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Heinzman Lake, 4.2 km out. For Prokopchuk Lake in particular, ask before you travel.