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

• Overview

  The Thompson-Nicola Regional District end of British Columbia holds Foot Lake. The water sits 1,060 metres up. About 4 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is a small entry by Thompson-Nicola Regional District standards. Clearwater lies 31 km from the water. Beyond it, Barrière at 82 km and 100 Mile House at 89 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Foot Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Species logged across Thompson-Nicola Regional District include Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon and rainbow trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Foot Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 16°C at the top of summer and -8°C at the bottom of winter. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. Break-up near early April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. On Foot Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. The nearest mapped parking is 720 m away, so the last stretch is on foot. Toilets show in mapping about 700 m away. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Placid Lake, 2.8 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing on Foot Lake should be assumed from this page alone.