Gisborne Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia, this is Gisborne Lake. The ground around here is mixed forest. At about 33 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Shoreline comes to about 2.8 km, small enough to learn in a day. 36 km away sits Westsyde, the nearest town. Beyond it, Brocklehurst at 38 km and Batchelor Hills at 39 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Gisborne Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Survey and observation records for Thompson-Nicola Regional District include Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, rainbow trout and pink salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Gisborne Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 14°C and January near -8°C. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Gisborne Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Nelmes Lake, 3.5 km out. Confirm before you fish Gisborne Lake.