Lower Messiter Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Lower Messiter Lake sits within Thompson-Nicola Regional District in British Columbia. It stands 663 metres above sea level. The water measures roughly 6 hectares, so nothing here is far from anything else. It is a small entry by Thompson-Nicola Regional District standards. Clearwater lies 55 km from the water. Kamloops is the closest city, 153 km away. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lower Messiter Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Thompson-Nicola Regional District names Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon and rainbow trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Lower Messiter Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 14°C; the cold one sits at -9°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. On Lower Messiter Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Overnight stays are possible about 330 m out, where camping is mapped. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Tumtum Lake is 16 km off. Nothing here settles the position at Lower Messiter Lake for certain.