Birch Lake Fishing Guide, Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  The Cariboo Regional District end of British Columbia holds Birch Lake. It stands 1,127 metres above sea level. The water covers around 2.34 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. With 8.5 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Few waters listed in Cariboo Regional District are bigger. 39 km away sits Clearwater, the nearest town. Barrière is 40 km away, with 100 Mile House at 58 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Birch Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon, bull trout and Coho salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Birch Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -8°C in January and 14°C in August. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Time your trip to Birch Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. You can camp 910 m off, which suits an early start. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Tortoise Lake at 1.4 km is the nearest alternative. Treat Birch Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.