McKinley Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  This water sits in Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia. The water sits 1,103 metres up. The water covers some 50 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge covers about 6.6 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Few waters listed in Thompson-Nicola Regional District are bigger. 100 Mile House lies 38 km from the water. The big place round here is Kamloops, 118 km distant. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on McKinley Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Thompson-Nicola Regional District: Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and Coho salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At McKinley Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 15°C; by January the average is down near -8°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. At McKinley Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. 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. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Toby Lake at 3.1 km is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about McKinley Lake if anything is unclear.