Picket Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Picket Lake falls in Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, part of British Columbia. It sits at 910 metres above sea level. It measures about 54 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. A shoreline of some 4.6 km keeps the choices simple. Head to Houston, 61 km away, for anything you forgot. Kamloops is the closest city, 551 km away. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Picket Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, recorded fish include sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, pink salmon and Chum salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Picket Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 12°C at the top of summer and -9°C at the bottom of winter. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Time your trip to Picket Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. No-Mans Lake, 4.9 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Picket Lake.