Fishermaiden Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Regional District of Central Kootenay in British Columbia is where Fishermaiden Lake sits. Elevation runs to 1,643 metres. The water measures roughly 6 hectares, so nothing here is far from anything else. Compared with other British Columbia water on our list, it sits high. The town to know is Kaslo, 22 km out. It is 162 km to Kelowna, the nearest city. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Fishermaiden Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Reported across Regional District of Central Kootenay: rainbow trout, sockeye salmon and mountain whitefish. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Fishermaiden Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -9°C in December up to 12°C in August. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid May. Climate figures give an open season running mid May to early November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. It sets the rhythm of the year at Fishermaiden Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Natanek Lake, 2.7 km away. For Fishermaiden Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.