Chimney Lake Fishing near Williams Lake, British Columbia

• Overview

  British Columbia holds Chimney Lake, in Cariboo Regional District. The water sits 875 metres up. At some 4.26 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The shoreline runs about 13 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. It is among the larger waters listed here for Cariboo Regional District. The closest town, Williams Lake, is 29 km distant. Kamloops sits 179 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Chimney Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Cariboo Regional District, recorded fish include sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon, bull trout, Coho salmon and longnose sucker. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Chimney Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -8°C in January up to 15°C in July. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. At Chimney Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is a pier recorded roughly 310 m away. You can camp 1.2 km off, which suits an early start. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Rosa Lake sits 3.7 km off and takes the overflow. For Chimney Lake in particular, ask before you travel.