Shagwenaw Lake in Patuanak: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Patuanak end of Saskatchewan holds Shagwenaw Lake. Land around it is spruce and muskeg. Surface area runs to some 50.06 sq km, so a boat and a plan are both worth having. The bank is deeply indented, so shelter is easy to find in any wind. Nearest town is Buffalo Narrows, 50 km off. Beyond it, La Ronge at 175 km and Meadow Lake at 202 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Shagwenaw Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish Shagwenaw Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 17°C; the cold one sits at -20°C. Ice holds for a long stretch, so the open weeks matter more here than further south. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about early November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Anyone fishing Shagwenaw Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Johnstone Lake, 8.5 km away. For Shagwenaw Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.