Elizabeth Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Elizabeth Lake is one of the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako listings for British Columbia. The surface lies 361 metres up. With some 45 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Around 3.7 km of margin, front to back. Smithers is the closest place, 104 km off. It is 750 km to Kamloops, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Elizabeth 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. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Open biodiversity records for Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako list sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon and pink salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Elizabeth Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -8°C and July at about 15°C, the water has a wide range to work through. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. Break-up sits around early April on average, with the water closing again about mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Anyone fishing Elizabeth Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A camping area sits within 630 m of here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Kline Lake is 3.5 km off. Confirm before you fish Elizabeth Lake.