Gwillim Lakes, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  British Columbia holds Gwillim Lakes, in Regional District of Central Kootenay. It lies 2,249 metres above sea level. The water measures roughly 8 hectares, so nothing here is far from anything else. Compared with other British Columbia water on our list, it sits high. The closest town, Nakusp, is 48 km away. For a city, Kelowna is 124 km off. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Gwillim Lakes

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Survey and observation records for Regional District of Central Kootenay include rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, mountain whitefish, largescale sucker and cutthroat trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Take Gwillim Lakes a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 12°C in August and bottom out at -9°C in December. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid May until roughly early November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan any trip to Gwillim Lakes around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Overnight stays are possible about 1 km out, where camping is mapped. There are toilets 990 m off. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Bunny Lake is 1.3 km off. What applies at Gwillim Lakes may have changed since it was mapped.