Menzies Lake Fishing in Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  Out in Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia, sits Menzies Lake. Around the bank it is lake country bush. About 4 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is a small entry by Thompson-Nicola Regional District standards. The nearest place of any size is Merritt, 15 km away. Logan Lake follows at 54 km, then Princeton at 62 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Menzies Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Thompson-Nicola Regional District include Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon and rainbow trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Menzies Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -7°C in January to roughly 16°C in August. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early April until roughly late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. On Menzies Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Parking is not close: 930 m from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Chicken Ranch Lake is 1.9 km off. None of that is settled for Menzies Lake in what we hold.