Onion Lake in Cariboo Regional District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In British Columbia, Onion Lake falls inside Cariboo Regional District. The bank is 1,123 metres above sea level. It covers about 6 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Most waters listed here for Cariboo Regional District are larger. 100 Mile House is the closest place, 58 km off. The nearest city of size is Kamloops, 149 km away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Onion Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Cariboo Regional District, recorded fish include sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon and bull trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Onion Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 14°C on average, January about -8°C. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Time your trip to Onion Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Canoe Lake is 7.1 km off. Rules at Onion Lake are worth checking on the day.