Ray Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Ray Lake in Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, British Columbia. Elevation runs to 1,028 metres. Surface area runs to about 9 hectares — small enough to read in one session. Our Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako list holds plenty of bigger water. For supplies, Vanderhoof is 59 km out. Fort St. James lies 102 km off, Prince George another 116 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Ray Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako cover 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. Ray Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 13°C and January near -12°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Ray Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Jardine Lake sits 0.7 km off and takes the overflow. What applies at Ray Lake may have changed since it was mapped.