Francois Lake near Burns Lake: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  You will find Francois Lake in Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, British Columbia. The water sits 714 metres up. Surface area runs to some 253.03 sq km, so a boat and a plan are both worth having. Few waters listed in Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako are bigger. Supplies mean a trip to Burns Lake, 21 km off. Beyond it, Houston at 71 km and Fort St. James at 108 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Francois Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name sockeye salmon, Coho salmon and Chinook salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Francois Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 14°C and January near -10°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That shapes the year on Francois Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A jetty or pier is mapped about 1.2 km from 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. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Faber Lake, 2.9 km out. Nothing on Francois Lake should be assumed from this page alone.