Moonias Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George end of British Columbia holds Moonias Lake. The water sits 1,639 metres up. Around 35 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The bank runs about 3.1 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. By elevation it is in the upper part of our British Columbia listings. Some 82 km away sits Grande Cache, the nearest settlement. Beyond it, Tumbler Ridge at 121 km and Beaverlodge at 136 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Moonias Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Regional District of Fraser-Fort George records list Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, mountain whitefish, rainbow trout and Arctic grayling among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Take Moonias Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 11°C on average, January about -10°C. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Break-up comes around mid May, and the run that follows is short and strong. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid May and starts locking again about early November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Moonias Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Fay Lake sits 3.1 km off and takes the overflow. Check the current arrangement for Moonias Lake.