Hammett Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In British Columbia, Hammett Lake falls inside Regional District of Fraser-Fort George. The surface lies 946 metres up. It measures about 68 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. At about 7.9 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Mackenzie at 67 km is the nearest place to stop. Fort St. James is 79 km and Prince George 94 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Hammett Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Regional District of Fraser-Fort George include Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, mountain whitefish, rainbow trout and Arctic grayling. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Anyone new to Hammett Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 14°C in July and bottom out at -11°C in January. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Hammett Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Weedon Lake sits 10 km off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Hammett Lake before loading the car.