Fishing at Patenaude Lake, Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  Patenaude Lake falls in Cariboo Regional District, part of British Columbia. The ground around here is pine and birch. It runs to roughly 28 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The full circuit measures close to 3.2 km on foot. 108 Mile Ranch lies 64 km from the water. For a city, Kamloops is 193 km off. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Patenaude Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Survey and observation records for Cariboo Regional District include sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon, bull trout, Coho salmon and longnose sucker. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The shape of Patenaude Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 15°C; the cold one sits at -7°C. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early April. The water is typically free of ice between early April and late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Anyone fishing Patenaude Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Sucker Lake, 9.2 km away. Check the position on Patenaude Lake before loading the car.