Cache Lake near Hinton: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Yellowhead County in Alberta is where Cache Lake sits. The surface lies 1,147 metres up. At about 27 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Around 2.6 km of margin, front to back. The closest town, Hinton, is 17 km away. The big place round here is Edmonton, 286 km distant. Within easy reach: Graveyard Lake 0.7 km away, Blue Lake after 1 km, Jarvis Lake 3.5 km away, Gregg Lake after 6.3 km and Peppers Lake 6.8 km away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Cache Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Yellowhead County cover rainbow trout, mountain whitefish and brook trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Cache Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 13°C; by January the average is down near -10°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Cache Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A camping area sits within 580 m of here. There are toilets 610 m off. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Graveyard Lake is 0.7 km distant. Rules at Cache Lake are worth checking on the day.