Kathie Lake near Prince George: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Kathie Lake is set in Regional District of Fraser-Fort George, British Columbia. The bank gives way to mixed forest. It runs to roughly 46 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. There is roughly 5.9 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Nearest place of any size is Prince George, 32 km away. The nearest city of size is Kamloops, 425 km away. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Kathie Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public occurrence data for Regional District of Fraser-Fort George names Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and mountain whitefish. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Kathie Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 15°C; by January the average is down near -10°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It holds true on Kathie Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Facilities include toilets around 700 m from here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Bow Lake, 0.2 km away. Where Kathie Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.