Fishing Atwell Lake in Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  Atwell Lake is set in Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia. Height above sea level is 1,264 metres. Surface area is around 27 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The whole outline is near 2.9 km, and most of it is walkable. For supplies, Hanceville is 42 km out. Williams Lake is 108 km and Anahim Lake 145 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Atwell Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Cariboo Regional District cover sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon, bull trout and Coho salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Take Atwell Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 13°C and January near -10°C. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. The season on Atwell Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Scum Lake at 8.2 km is the nearest alternative. Rules at Atwell Lake are worth checking on the day.