Fishing at Billy Lake, Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  Billy Lake sits in Cariboo Regional District, out in British Columbia. Height above sea level is 1,101 metres. It runs to roughly 45 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. A shoreline of some 4.9 km keeps the choices simple. The town to know is Anahim Lake, 72 km out. After that come Hanceville at 95 km and Quesnel at 139 km. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Billy Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Cariboo Regional District include 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. On Billy Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 13°C in July and bottom out at -12°C in January. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Time your trip to Billy Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Chilcotin Lake sits 15 km off and takes the overflow. Rules at Billy Lake are worth checking on the day.