Divide Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Divide Lake is a Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine water, British Columbia side. It sits 26 km in from the sea. At about 61 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The edge covers about 5.7 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Some 140 km away sits Ketchikan, the nearest settlement. For a city, Kamloops is 884 km off. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Divide Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine include pink salmon, Chum salmon and Coho salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Anyone new to Divide Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -9°C and August at about 9°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid May. In an average year the thaw lands around mid May and the freeze near early November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Expect Divide Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. 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. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Summit Lake sits 6 km off and takes the overflow. The position on Divide Lake is worth confirming on the day.