Collins Lake Fishing near Smithers, British Columbia

• Overview

  This water sits in Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, British Columbia. It stands 414 metres above sea level. About 9 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. On size it sits at the modest end of our Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine list. The closest town, Smithers, is 70 km away. The nearest city of size is Kamloops, 712 km away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Collins Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, recorded fish include pink salmon, Chum salmon, Coho salmon and sockeye salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Fish Collins Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 16°C and January near -8°C. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early April and starts locking again about late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Collins Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Robinson Lake sits 4.1 km off and takes the overflow. Confirm access to Collins Lake locally before you travel.