Fishing at Backlund Lake, North Coast Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  Out in North Coast Regional District, British Columbia, sits Backlund Lake. The surface lies 61 metres up. Roughly 1.05 sq km of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. With 8.1 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our British Columbia listings. Kitimat lies 68 km from the water. Prince Rupert follows at 95 km, then Terrace at 111 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Backlund Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in North Coast Regional District include pink salmon, Coho salmon, Chum salmon and sockeye salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Backlund Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -1°C to 14°C. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. It holds true on Backlund Lake more years than not. Rain lifts the level and moves fish about.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Alty Lake is 5.6 km off. Treat Backlund Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.