Fishing at Kirkland Lake, British Columbia, British Columbia

• Overview

  Set in British Columbia, Kirkland Lake is a British Columbia water. It lies 936 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 60 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The full circuit measures close to 3.3 km on foot. Tumbler Ridge is the closest town at 49 km. Beyond it, Beaverlodge at 62 km and Wembley at 77 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Kirkland Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. At Kirkland Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach. Small features hold more than big empty water.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 14°C and January about -9°C. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Kirkland Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Quicksand Lake at 4.1 km is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Kirkland Lake if anything is unclear.