Ridge Lake in Thompson-Nicola Regional District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Ridge Lake is a Thompson-Nicola Regional District water, British Columbia side. Height above sea level is 1,116 metres. With some 14 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The whole outline is near 1.8 km, and most of it is walkable. Nearest town is 100 Mile House, 45 km off. 108 Mile Ranch follows at 48 km, then Cache Creek at 78 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Ridge Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Thompson-Nicola Regional District records list Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, rainbow trout and pink salmon among the fish reported. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Ridge Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -9°C in January to roughly 15°C in July. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near mid November in autumn. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. That shapes the year on Ridge Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Copper Johnny Provincial Park takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Clink Lake, 3.5 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Ridge Lake.