Kotcho Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In British Columbia, Kotcho Lake belongs to Northern Rockies Regional Municipality. The setting is boreal forest on every side. It covers about 81.24 sq km, which means weather matters as much as tactics. There is enough indentation to find shelter on most days. It is the biggest water on our Northern Rockies Regional Municipality list. The town to know is Fort Nelson, 94 km out. For a city, Edmonton is 774 km off. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Kotcho Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, recorded fish include longnose sucker, mountain whitefish, lake whitefish, northern pike and Arctic cisco. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Kotcho Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 15°C in July and bottom out at -20°C in January. Water stays cold even at the height of the year. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about early November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Plan around that when you fish Kotcho Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. 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. Meaoulie Lake at 11 km is the sensible second choice. The position on Kotcho Lake is worth confirming on the day.