Porcupine Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Cariboo Regional District in British Columbia is where Porcupine Lake sits. It sits at 875 metres above sea level. At 2 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Our Cariboo Regional District list holds plenty of bigger water. Head to Quesnel, 30 km away, for anything you forgot. For a city, Kamloops is 287 km off. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Porcupine Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Cariboo Regional District include sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon and bull trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Porcupine Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 14°C in July and bottom out at -9°C in January. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan around that when you fish Porcupine Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Yeates Lake, 1.3 km away. Treat Porcupine Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.