Fission Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Fission Lake is set in Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, British Columbia. The surface lies 816 metres up. Roughly 72 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. With 5.1 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Smithers sits 79 km from the bank. Telkwa is 83 km away, with Houston at 109 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Fission Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Public occurrence data for Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako names sockeye salmon, Coho salmon and Chinook salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Fission Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 13°C and January about -13°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Climate figures give an open season running late April to mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Anyone fishing Fission Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Acorn Lake at 2.9 km is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Fission Lake before loading the car.