Richards Lake Fishing near Williams Lake, British Columbia

• Overview

  In British Columbia, Richards Lake belongs to Cariboo Regional District. The setting is mixed forest. With some 26 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. With about 2.4 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. For supplies, Williams Lake is 20 km out. The nearest city of size is Kamloops, 223 km away. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Richards Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Open biodiversity records for Cariboo Regional District list sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon and bull trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Work Richards Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -10°C to 15°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The season between ice runs from about early April to late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. On Richards Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. 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. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Dester Lake at 1.4 km is the sensible second choice. Rules at Richards Lake are worth checking on the day.