Fishing Kootenay Lake

A year-round fishery with Reel Adventures

Kerry has been fishing since he was a very young man, though now he has turned his passion into his profession. Fish that inhabit Kootenay Lake are often feeding very high in the water column, earning the art of ‘bucktailing’ a worthy spot on the list of productive angling methods for this fishery.

“I’ve been on the roller coaster, the ups and downs over the years with the lake, but when I caught my first big fish out here I was hooked”, Kerry explains the amazing potential Kootenay has to produce big fish.

“We’re lucky our lake doesn’t freeze over, and some of the best fishing takes place in the winter and fall. It’s just a great place to be.”

LAKE FISHING TRIP IDEAS

Prince George Stillwater Fly Fishing

LAKE FISHING

Prince George Stillwater Fly Fishing and Lodging with Northern Outback Adventures

With over 1,600 lakes in the surrounding area of Prince George, it is no wonder why so many stillwater fly fishing enthusiasts call Northern British Columbia home. Among these lakes, Northern Outback Adventures offers a full-service lodge just south of town. Gin-clear waters and rainbow trout that exceed eight pounds, this is a perfect weekend getaway for locals and visitors alike. Springtime sees a prolific chironomid emergence as fish cruise the shoals in search of these small but plentiful insects. As the transition to summertime approaches, mayflies, damsels, dragons and caddis flies begin their adult life. A main lodge for guests to enjoy hearty home-cooked meals and desserts, and a fleet of waterfront guest cabins equipped with wood stoves. There is a wood-burning sauna located behind the main lodge, and the adventurous angler will find a multitude of additional activities including kayaking, hiking or going for an evening cruise to soak up a Northern BC sunset. Located just outside one of British Columbia’s most unique cities, this is a perfect getaway for locals and adventurers alike.

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Kinbasket Lake Near Golden

LAKE FISHING

Trophy Bull Trout Fishing in Kinbasket Lake

The productive and unpopulated waters of BC’s Kinbasket Lake

The glacial-silted waters of Kinbasket Lake stretch over 260 kilometers in length, beginning with the entrance of the Columbia River near the town of Golden. As one could assume, Kinbasket Lake sees very little angling pressure, but presents a wealth of opportunity for large rainbow and bull trout. Dave Trerice of Remote Waters has over a decade of guiding experience in his back pocket, and endless experience exploring every contour and structure that holds fish on this big, beautiful waterbody. Covering ground is the name of the game in a fishery such as Kinbasket, with pulling plugs or bucktails being preferred methods for both rainbow trout and char. The town of Golden is a thriving community for a multitude of activities including fishing, heli-skiing and snowmobiling. A day on the waters of Kinbasket Lake are to be enjoyed whether you are a seasoned angler or have never felt the bend of a rod before.

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Fall Fishing Sheridan Lake

LAKE FISHING

Fall Trophy Stillwater Fly Fishing on Sheridan Lake

Sheridan Lake the autumn jewel in Fishing Highway 24’s crown

The lakes of the famous “Fishing Highway 24” combine to make a trout fisher’s mecca. There are more quality stillwaters here than many could hope to fish through an entire season. There are large lakes that grow big trout and small secluded ones where the only company might be a loon, or an osprey. Sheridan Lake is one of big lakes, and a prime destinations in this chain. Fall is the one of the best times to visit here. The summer crowds have dwindled and the resorts almost always have room. As the days shorten and the water cools, Sheridan fish ramp up a last-ditch feeding effort before their world is sealed away by ice. This is Interior fishing at its best, for big fish in a truly beautiful location.

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Golden Trophy Stillwater

LAKE FISHING

Pristine Lakes and Trophy Rainbows near Golden BC

Catch the trout of a lifetime on small, secluded lakes with no cell phones to interrupt your experience

Nestled amongst the benchlands above the Columbia River, with views of the Rocky and Spillimacheen mountains, lie numerous quality-managed stillwater trout fisheries. Double-digit rainbows can be found in lakes reached via a network of gravel roads and short trails to the lakeshore outside of Golden BC. Clear, shallow water and consistent aquatic insect hatches are there for the adventurous angler. The best time for chasing these dream fish is from May through the end of October.

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Kootenay Lake

LAKE FISHING

Bucktailing for Gerard Rainbows on Kootenay Lake

Bucktails and really big fish are a combination few anglers will forget

The Gerard strain of rainbow trout are the stillwater heavyweights of B.C.’s fishing world. They co-exist in a unique relationship with the lake’s resident population of kokanee, which are landlocked sockeye salmon. Feeding on the annual outpouring of kokanee smolts from small creeks and streams allows Gerards to gain monstrous size, often more than 20 pounds. Kootenay Lake boasts one of British Columbia’s greatest populations of this unique strain. They are predators, pure and through, and anglers who strip bucktails or trail streamers in the right place at the right time can bank on arm-jarring runs that many would associate with fast river steelhead. This is a big lake, and experience counts — anglers are well advised to find the services of a good guide to help them in this unique fishing quest.

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Spring Fishing Nicola Valley

LAKE FISHING

Early Spring Stillwater Fishing in the Nicola Valley

Spring fishing one of the best times to visit the grasslands

The low-altitude lakes of the Nicola Valley near Merritt are often the first in B.C.s Interior to be free of winter’s grip every spring. Less than an hour from Kamloops, they offer the keen angler a chance at early season trout most others will need to wait weeks more to see. Many of the lakes are set in rolling grasslands or sparsely treed stands of pine and fir. They are shallow, productive and teeming with trout. It can be tough fishing, as early season weather is unpredictable, but for those who have a hardy spirit and a sense of adventure, there are trophy days to be found. And of course, there are many resorts, guides and outfitters in the area who can cater day-long or multi-day trips to each angler’s needs and experience.

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TIDAL AND FRESHWATER FISHING LICENCES