Fishing at Jimmy Lake, Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  Jimmy Lake sits in Thompson-Nicola Regional District, out in British Columbia. The water sits 1,291 metres up. Roughly 32 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. About 2.7 km of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. The closest town, Pritchard, is 38 km distant. Further out sit Vernon (40 km) and Spallumcheen (43 km). It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Jimmy Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Thompson-Nicola Regional District include Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon and rainbow trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Treat Jimmy Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 15°C, the coldest about -7°C. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It sets the rhythm of the year at Jimmy Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is camping recorded roughly 190 m off. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Nugget Lake, 2 km away. For Jimmy Lake in particular, ask before you travel.