Rat Lake Fishing Guide, Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  British Columbia holds Rat Lake, in Thompson-Nicola Regional District. It lies 1,397 metres above sea level. The water covers some 28 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Bank access stretches around 2.3 km in total. Glenrosa lies 31 km from the water. Peachland is 33 km and Smith Creek 34 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Rat Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Thompson-Nicola Regional District include Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and Coho salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Read Rat Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 14°C, the coldest about -8°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Time your trip to Rat Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. 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. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Ellen Lake is 1.5 km off. Ask locally about Rat Lake if anything is unclear.