Chief Gray Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Chief Gray Lake is set in Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, British Columbia. The water sits 925 metres up. With some 31 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The bank runs about 3.0 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Head to Vanderhoof, 68 km away, for anything you forgot. Kamloops is the closest city, 445 km away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Chief Gray Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, recorded fish include sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, pink salmon and Chum salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of Chief Gray Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 14°C and January at -11°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan around that when you fish Chief Gray Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Hobson Lake at 2.8 km is the sensible second choice. The position on Chief Gray Lake is worth confirming on the day.