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Lakes for Fishing
To the delight of sport anglers, the Qu'appelle
is a river of lakes. Before reaching Crooked
Lake and Round Lake on its lower reaches,
it passes through the sparkling four-lake
chain of Pasqua, Echo, Mission and Katepwa,
in the vicinity of Fort Qu'appelle. Long
known collectively as the "Fishing
Lakes," the recreational heartland
of the Qu'appelle Valley is a year-round
magnet for anglers.
The lakes are stocked by the Saskatchewan
Fish Culture Station (located near B-Say-Tah
on the south shore of Echo Lake), creating
a special attraction for walleye fishers.
The hatchery raises 20 million walleye every
year, in addition to half a million trout.
The area's annual catch-and-release Walleye
Cup draws participants from across North
America, and is the fourth in a series of
regional walleye tournaments on the "Walleye
Trail."
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Farm Vacation in the Valley
After your stay on a Qu'appelle
Valley vacation farm, you will
have a better understanding
of the sophistication and versatility
of the modern prairie farmer.
Chances are you will also have
new friends and a full stomach,
courtesy of country cooking
and hospitable hosts. For even
more fresh air and up-close
nature appreciation, join a
trail ride through the Valley's
rolling landscape. Contact the
area's vacation farm network
for more information - some
farms specialize in Canadian
immersion experiences for international
visitors.
For a glimpse of early agricultural
life in the Valley, visit the
Motherwell National Historic
Site near Abernethy. The
site, named for William Richard
Motherwell, a pioneer farmer
and provincial and federal agriculture
minister, includes examples
of early "shelterbelt"
tree planting techniques, and
special events such as the August
"Threshing Days."
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In winter, ice fishers jig for perch from
their heated huts on the frozen lakes.
All four lakes offer public boat launching
locations, including
• Echo Valley Provincial Park, to access
Pasqua and Echo Lakes
• Haffner Beach in Lebret, to access
Mission Lake
• Katepwa Point Provincial Park in
Katepwa Beach, to access Lake Katepwa.
Summer on the Calling
Lakes
Just an hour's drive from the urban centre
of Regina, the "resort villages"
of the Fishing Lakes offer boating, swimming,
picnicking, golfing, hiking, camping, craft
shops, cottages and cabins:
• Resort Village of Fort San
- on the eastern shore of Echo Lake, with
a scenic walking path that runs the full
length of the village, sailing on Echo Lake,
and tours of the historic Fort Sanitarium.
• Resort Village of Katepwa Beach
- on the north shore of Lake Katepwa, near
a nine-hole golf course and the beach of
Katepwa Point Provincial Park.
• Resort Village of B-Say-Tah
- on the south shore of Echo Lake, just
east of Fort Qu'appelle, with the B-Say-Tah
Point Beach and the nearby Saskatchewan
Fish Culture Station.
• Resort Village of Sandy Beach
- on the north shore of Lake Katpewa, near
Katpewa Beach Village.
• Haffner Beach -, on the northeast
shore of Mission Lake, in the historic village
of Lebret.
Provincial
Park Adventures
Some of Saskatchewan's most outstanding
provincial parks are found in and around
the Qu'appelle Valley. Contact Saskatchewan
Environment and Resource Management for
more information about rates, fees, programs,
services and facilities. Park visitors can:
• Camp at Crooked Lake, where
the sound of rustling leaves lulls campers
to sleep at Crooked Lake Provincial Park,
on the lower Qu'appelle River south of Yorkton.
Lakeside campsites are shaded by a canopy
of trembling aspen, American elm, Manitoba
maple and green ash. Fishing, boating, hiking,
biking and golfing are nearby attractions.
• Swim and sail at Rowan's Ravine,
on the eastern shore of Last Mountain Lake,
near Craven. Visitors can sail on the lake,
play beach volleyball on the natural sandy
beaches, or fish for trophy walleye, northern
pike, carp and perch. Campsites are available.
• Plan a picnic at Echo Valley,
near Fort Qu'appelle, where lush lawns surround
the large picnic areas of the Pasqua and
Echo day use area. Swimming, fishing and
boating are available, with Valleyview and
Aspen Campgrounds located on the flat upper
plain, and Lakeview Campground situated
in the valley.
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