Bishop Lake Fishing in Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  Bishop Lake is a Cariboo Regional District water, British Columbia side. It lies 1,133 metres above sea level. It measures some 2.38 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. There is roughly 9.1 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Few waters listed in Cariboo Regional District are bigger. Start from Quesnel, 80 km down the road. Kamloops is the closest city, 307 km away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Bishop Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Survey and observation records for Cariboo Regional District include sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon and bull trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Bishop Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -12°C in January up to 13°C in August. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. On Bishop Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Tchusiniltil Lake is 7 km off. Nothing here settles the position at Bishop Lake for certain.