McKay Lake near Vanderhoof: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Set in Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, McKay Lake is a British Columbia water. The surface lies 813 metres up. At about 40 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The full circuit measures close to 4.2 km on foot. The closest town, Vanderhoof, is 25 km away. After that come Prince George at 70 km and Fort St. James at 76 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on McKay Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako include sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon and pink salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. McKay Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 14°C on average, January about -10°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near mid November in autumn. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. That shapes the year on McKay Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Hogsback Lake is 2.2 km off. For McKay Lake in particular, ask before you travel.