Lunch Lake in Cariboo Regional District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lunch Lake lies in Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia. It sits at 993 metres above sea level. At some 1.18 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Shoreline length is close to 6.2 km, and each section fishes a little differently. 91 km away sits Anahim Lake, the nearest town. Then Hanceville, 99 km, and Williams Lake, 164 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lunch Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Cariboo Regional District include sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon, bull trout and Coho salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Lunch Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, August reads 13°C and January reads -9°C. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to mid November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Lunch Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. For a change of water, Whitesand Lake is 1.8 km distant. Where Lunch Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.