Middle Lake in Cariboo Regional District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Middle Lake stands in Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia. The ground round it is pine and birch. At 4.50 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. The margin runs to about 13 km in total. On our Cariboo Regional District list it sits near the top for size. Anahim Lake lies 91 km from the water. Vancouver sits 299 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Middle Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Public occurrence data for Cariboo Regional District names sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon, bull trout, Coho salmon and longnose sucker. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Middle Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -9°C and August at about 10°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Break-up comes around mid May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice clears near mid May and comes back about early November in a typical year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Middle Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Twist Lake at 12 km is the sensible second choice. Signs at Middle Lake carry more weight than any list.