Fishing at Plate Lake, Stikine Region, British Columbia

• Overview

  Plate Lake is set in Stikine Region, British Columbia. Everything around it is boreal forest. Surface area runs to roughly 1.59 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The shoreline runs about 7.3 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Watson Lake sits 113 km from here and is the nearest stop. The nearest city of size is Anchorage, 1055 km away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Plate Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Stikine Region: Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, mountain whitefish and Arctic grayling. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Fish Plate Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 10°C, the coldest about -18°C. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. The lid usually goes in late May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The open-water window runs from around late May to about mid October in an average year. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. On Plate Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Tootsee Lake, 11 km out. None of that is settled for Plate Lake in what we hold.