Fishing at Machete Lake, Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  Out in Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia, sits Machete Lake. The country here is lake country bush. This is sizeable water at about 4.73 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. There is roughly 21 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. It is among the larger waters listed here for Cariboo Regional District. Barrière is the closest town at 39 km. Kamloops sits 82 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Machete Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon, bull trout, Coho salmon and longnose sucker. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Machete Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -8°C in January to roughly 13°C in August. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. From about late April to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Expect Machete Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. 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. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Tobe Lake is 5.7 km off. Treat access at Machete Lake as something to verify.