Fishing at Hourglass Lake, Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  Hourglass Lake is a Cariboo Regional District water, in British Columbia. It stands 902 metres above sea level. The water covers some 14 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 1.8 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Our Cariboo Regional District list holds plenty of bigger water. Hanceville is the closest place, 74 km off. The nearest city of size is Kamloops, 307 km away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Hourglass Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Survey and observation records for Cariboo Regional District include sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon, bull trout, Coho salmon and longnose sucker. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Hourglass Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -12°C to 14°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Hourglass Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Le Blanc Lake at 9 km is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Hourglass Lake for certain.