Eileen Lake in Thompson-Nicola Regional District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  This water sits in Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia. Height above sea level is 896 metres. It covers about 6 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Most waters listed here for Thompson-Nicola Regional District are larger. 9.2 km away sits Sun Peaks, the nearest town. The big place round here is Kamloops, 32 km distant. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Eileen Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Thompson-Nicola Regional District: Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and Coho salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Eileen Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -8°C and August at about 15°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Plan around that when you fish Eileen Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Rhoda Lake at 2 km is the nearest alternative. The position on Eileen Lake is worth confirming on the day.