Mitten Lake Fishing near Smithers, British Columbia

• Overview

  Out in Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, British Columbia, sits Mitten Lake. Elevation runs to 410 metres. With some 51 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Roughly 3.9 km of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. Supplies mean a trip to Smithers, 106 km off. The big place round here is Kamloops, 752 km distant. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Mitten Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine: pink salmon, Chum salmon, Coho salmon and sockeye salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of Mitten Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 13°C and January near -8°C. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Open water usually runs from mid April until about mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. The season on Mitten Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A camping area sits within 550 m of here. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Elizabeth Lake at 4.3 km is the sensible second choice. What applies at Mitten Lake may have changed since it was mapped.