Shaeffer Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Shaeffer Lake sits in Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, out in British Columbia. Land around it is pine and birch. It runs to roughly 36 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Roughly 3.9 km of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. Burns Lake is the closest place, 18 km off. Further out sit Houston (69 km) and Fort St. James (107 km). It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Shaeffer Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Survey and observation records for Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako include sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon and pink salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Shaeffer Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 14°C in July and bottom out at -10°C in January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Shaeffer Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Mulvaney Lake, 1.5 km away. Nothing here settles the position at Shaeffer Lake for certain.