Ducharme Lake in Cariboo Regional District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia, sits Ducharme Lake. The bank is 1,467 metres above sea level. With some 30 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The edge runs 3.0 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Compared with other British Columbia water on our list, it sits high. For a base, Hanceville sits 75 km out. Vancouver is the closest city, 260 km away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Ducharme Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Survey and observation records for Cariboo Regional District include sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon, bull trout, Coho salmon and longnose sucker. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The near bank of Ducharme Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -9°C in December up to 11°C in August. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. On Ducharme Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Mainguy Lake sits 2.1 km off and takes the overflow. Signs at Ducharme Lake carry more weight than any list.