Faulkner Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Cariboo Regional District end of British Columbia holds Faulkner Lake. The setting is lake country bush on every side. It runs to roughly 22 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Around 1.8 km of margin, front to back. Clearwater is the closest place, 42 km off. 100 Mile House follows at 49 km, then Barrière at 52 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Faulkner Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Open biodiversity records for Cariboo Regional District list sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon and bull trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Faulkner Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put August near 14°C and January near -8°C. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Time your trip to Faulkner Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Wavey Lake sits 1.5 km off and takes the overflow. Rules at Faulkner Lake are worth checking on the day.