Provis Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  British Columbia holds Provis Lake, in Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako. It sits at 1,040 metres above sea level. Roughly 29 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Around 2.8 km of margin, front to back. Start from Vanderhoof, 55 km down the road. For a city, Kamloops is 429 km off. Others close at hand: Wren Lake out at 1.3 km, Vivian Lake 1.7 km away, Arthur Lake out at 3.6 km, Finnie Lake 4 km away and Kaiser Lake out at 4.6 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Provis Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Public occurrence data for Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako names sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, pink salmon and Chum salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Provis Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 12°C and January near -11°C on the long-run figures. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Provis Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Wren Lake sits 1.3 km off and takes the overflow. Rules at Provis Lake are worth checking on the day.