Knipple Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Knipple Lake sits in Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, out in British Columbia. The bank is 446 metres above sea level. At some 1.39 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The margin runs to about 7.3 km in total. Wrangell sits 147 km from the bank. The big place round here is Kamloops, 901 km distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Knipple Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Survey and observation records for Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine include pink salmon, Chum salmon, Coho salmon, sockeye salmon and Chinook salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The near bank of Knipple Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 10°C and January at -9°C. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid May. Ice clears near mid May and comes back about early November in a typical year. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Knipple Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Brucejack Lake is 14 km distant. The position on Knipple Lake is worth confirming on the day.