Octopus Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Octopus Lake stands in Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, British Columbia. It sits at 638 metres above sea level. The water covers some 27 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Around 5.2 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. Head to Smithers, 126 km away, for anything you forgot. Terrace lies 128 km off, Telkwa another 138 km. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Octopus Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine include pink salmon, Chum salmon and Coho salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Treat Octopus Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -8°C in January and 14°C in July. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Expect Octopus Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Hilltop Lake, 2.8 km away. Nothing on Octopus Lake should be assumed from this page alone.