Bonanza Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Bonanza Lake in the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine part of British Columbia. It sits 5.7 km in from the sea. It runs to roughly 28 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. A shoreline of some 2.6 km keeps the choices simple. Head to Ketchikan, 109 km away, for anything you forgot. For a city, Vancouver is 830 km off. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Bonanza Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name pink salmon, Chum salmon, Coho salmon and sockeye salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Bonanza Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 11°C, the coldest about -4°C. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Bonanza Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, Carney Lake is 8.7 km off. Nothing here settles the position at Bonanza Lake for certain.