Fishing Compass Lake in Central Coast Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  Out in Central Coast Regional District, British Columbia, sits Compass Lake. It sits 34 km in from the sea. The water covers some 94 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The margin runs to about 5.6 km in total. Nearest place of any size is Bella Coola, 36 km away. Anahim Lake lies 75 km off, Bella Bella another 129 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Compass Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Survey and observation records for Central Coast Regional District include Chum salmon, pink salmon and Coho salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Compass Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical August readings run about 11°C; by January the average is down near -8°C. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. The water is typically free of ice between early May and mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Anyone fishing Compass Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Fish Lake, 15 km out. Ask locally about Compass Lake if anything is unclear.