Lac du Bois in Thompson-Nicola Regional District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac du Bois is set in Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia. The ground around here is rolling bush. The water covers some 31 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 3.6 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Supplies mean a trip to Westsyde, 8.4 km off. Further out sit Brocklehurst (11 km) and Batchelor Hills (11 km). One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lac du Bois

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Thompson-Nicola Regional District include Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and Coho salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Lac du Bois the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 17°C, while January sits near -7°C. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early April. The season between ice runs from about early April to late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Lac du Bois runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. The nearest car park is 420 m from the water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, McQueen Lake at 3.4 km is the nearest alternative. Treat Lac du Bois as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.