Niskonlith Lake Fishing near Chase, British Columbia

• Overview

  Set in Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia, this is Niskonlith Lake. The bank is 521 metres above sea level. At 4.00 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. The outline measures near 13 km, so local knowledge counts. On our Thompson-Nicola Regional District list it sits near the top for size. Supplies mean a trip to Chase, 7.4 km off. Pritchard is 11 km away, with Sun Peaks at 14 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Niskonlith Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. 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 Niskonlith Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -7°C to 17°C. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Winter locks it down, and early April brings it back. Break-up near early April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. It holds true on Niskonlith Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Dennis Lake is 5.5 km off. What applies at Niskonlith Lake may have changed since it was mapped.