Game Lake near Banff: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Game Lake is a Regional District of East Kootenay water, British Columbia side. It sits in rolling bush country. The whole thing is a single swim; walk it in a minute. Our Regional District of East Kootenay list holds plenty of bigger water. For supplies, Banff is 28 km out. The big place round here is Calgary, 112 km distant. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Game Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Reported across Regional District of East Kootenay: rainbow trout, mountain whitefish, sockeye salmon, bull trout and longnose sucker. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Read Game Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical August readings run about 9°C; by January the average is down near -13°C. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late May. Break-up sits around late May on average, with the water closing again about late October. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Anyone fishing Game Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Mapping shows a campsite some 1.4 km from the water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Elizabeth Lake at 2.4 km is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about Game Lake if anything is unclear.