Butterfield Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako entry here is Butterfield Lake, in British Columbia. Elevation runs to 1,041 metres. This is sizeable water at about 1.73 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. The margin runs to about 13 km in total. Head to Burns Lake, 41 km away, for anything you forgot. For a city, Kamloops is 558 km off. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Butterfield Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. 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. Species logged across Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako include sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon and pink salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Fish Butterfield Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 12°C in July and bottoms out near -11°C in January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near early November in autumn. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Butterfield Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. 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. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Specularite Lake, 7.6 km out. Nothing here settles the position at Butterfield Lake for certain.