Mabel Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Mabel Lake lies within the bounds of Regional District of North Okanagan, British Columbia. The bank gives way to rolling bush. This is big water, about 59.43 sq km, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. Nothing else we list in Regional District of North Okanagan covers more water. Grindrod sits 28 km from the bank. Kelowna is the closest city, 95 km away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Mabel Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Regional District of North Okanagan list Coho salmon, sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon and rainbow trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Mabel Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 17°C on average, January about -4°C. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late March. In an average year the thaw lands around late March and the freeze near early December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Mabel Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A jetty or pier is mapped about 1.1 km from here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Baird Lake at 4.9 km is the sensible second choice. For Mabel Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.