Monkman Lake Fishing Guide, Peace River Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  Monkman Lake stands in Peace River Regional District, British Columbia. The bank is 1,043 metres above sea level. This is sizeable water at about 2.88 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. Shoreline length is close to 14 km, and each section fishes a little differently. On our Peace River Regional District list it sits near the top for size. Tumbler Ridge sits 60 km from here and is the nearest stop. For a city, Kamloops is 442 km off. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Monkman Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Open biodiversity records for Peace River Regional District list mountain whitefish, longnose sucker, largescale sucker, Arctic grayling and bull trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Monkman Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -9°C to 12°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The lid tends to go about late April and return around early November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It holds true on Monkman Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Holmes Lake, 4.6 km out. Check the position at Monkman Lake before loading the car.