Damsumlo Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  British Columbia holds Damsumlo Lake, in Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako. The water sits 920 metres up. It measures some 1.12 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. The shoreline runs about 8.7 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. For supplies, Smithers is 133 km out. Telkwa follows at 144 km, then Terrace at 166 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Damsumlo Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako include sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, pink salmon and Chum salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Damsumlo Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -11°C to 12°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. On average, late April opens the water and early November closes it again. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. The season on Damsumlo Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Smokee Lake, 6.2 km away. Treat access at Damsumlo Lake as something to verify.