McCauley Lake Fishing in Central Coast Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  McCauley Lake is one of the Central Coast Regional District listings for British Columbia. The ground around here is mixed forest. Surface area is around 26 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. A shoreline of some 2.5 km keeps the choices simple. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Central Coast Regional District. Some 39 km away sits Anahim Lake, the nearest settlement. Bella Coola is 66 km and Bella Bella 163 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on McCauley Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Central Coast Regional District names Chum salmon, pink salmon and Coho salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Treat McCauley Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -9°C in January up to 10°C in August. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid May. The open-water window runs from around mid May to about early November in an average year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. McCauley Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is a campsite 530 m from the water. Mapping records toilets within 570 m. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Ellis Lake, 1.2 km away. Where McCauley Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.