Fishing Spence Lake in Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan

• Overview

  Spence Lake is one of the Stony Rapids waters in Saskatchewan. The water sits 223 metres up. At 1.38 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. The perimeter runs near 8.0 km, so plan the walk before you start. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Stony Rapids. Fort Smith lies 288 km from the water. Then Fort McMurray, 394 km, and Buffalo Narrows, 401 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Spence Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name cisco, northern pike and round whitefish. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Spence Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 16°C; by January the average is down near -28°C. The ice season is long here and the open one short. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid May. The open-water window runs from around mid May to about late October in an average year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. On Spence Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Engler Lake sits 26 km off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Spence Lake in what we hold.