Boot Lake Fishing near Campbell River, British Columbia

• Overview

  Strathcona Regional District in British Columbia is where Boot Lake sits. It sits 15 km in from the sea. At 1.29 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. The shoreline runs about 6.4 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Few waters listed in Strathcona Regional District are bigger. The nearest town is Campbell River, 21 km away. The nearest city of size is Vancouver, 195 km away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Boot Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Strathcona Regional District names sockeye salmon, Chum salmon, pink salmon, Coho salmon and Chinook salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Boot Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 16°C and January about 2°C. Temperature moves within a narrow band, and so does the fishing. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Time your trip to Boot Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. You can camp 1.4 km off, which suits an early start. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Gosling Lake is 2.1 km distant. Nothing here settles the position at Boot Lake for certain.