Craig Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Craig Lake is one of the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako waters in British Columbia. The surface lies 799 metres up. Roughly 35 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. About 2.6 km of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Head to Burns Lake, 32 km away, for anything you forgot. Then Fort St. James, 85 km, and Vanderhoof, 89 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Craig Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako records list sockeye salmon, Coho salmon and Chinook salmon among the fish reported. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Work Craig Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -10°C to 14°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. From about mid April to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. At Craig Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. 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 parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Tercer Lake is 1.5 km distant. Treat Craig Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.