Birkenhead Lake near Mount Currie: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Birkenhead Lake is a Squamish-Lillooet Regional District water, in British Columbia. It sits at 631 metres above sea level. Surface area runs to roughly 4.04 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. Some 15 km of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. Size puts it in the front rank of our Squamish-Lillooet Regional District list. The nearest town is Mount Currie, 24 km away. Pemberton is 26 km and Whistler 50 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Birkenhead Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Squamish-Lillooet Regional District records list Coho salmon, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and Chum salmon among the fish reported. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Birkenhead Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 14°C in August and bottoms out near -6°C in January. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Birkenhead Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Gates Lake is 8.1 km off. Nothing on Birkenhead Lake should be assumed from this page alone.