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Fishing Deserter Lake: what the data says
245-acre lake near Belbutte. The lake tops out around 33 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Burbot fishing at Deserter Lake
Spring burbot on Deserter Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 33 ft. Summer fish stay in 10 to 33 ft, and winter fish hold in 8 to 33 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 28 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is after dark and midday. Summer baits: a heavy jig + cut bait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 33 ft | night & dusk | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 10 to 33 ft | night & midday | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | night & dusk | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 8 to 33 ft | night & dusk | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Northern Pike fishing at Deserter Lake
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Walleye fishing at Deserter Lake
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 33 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 33 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 15 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 10 to 33 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Yellow Perch fishing at Deserter Lake
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 33 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 28 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 15 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
Common questions
How deep is Deserter Lake?
Deserter Lake is about 33 ft (10 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in Deserter Lake?
Anglers target walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, burbot on Deserter Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Deserter Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 28 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Deserter Lake?
For burbot, the summer bite is best in after dark and midday. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Meeting Lake · Larson Lake · Russell Lake · Pitch Lake · Little Loon Lake · Chitek Lake
See how Deserter Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Saskatchewan · best northern pike lakes in Saskatchewan · best yellow perch lakes in Saskatchewan · best burbot lakes in Saskatchewan
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