Simpson Lake in Stikine Region: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  British Columbia holds Simpson Lake, in Stikine Region. The water sits 878 metres up. About 2.06 sq km, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. The edge covers about 8.8 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Some 101 km away sits Skagway, the nearest settlement. Beyond it, Haines at 106 km and Juneau at 114 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Simpson Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Stikine Region include Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon and mountain whitefish. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Anyone new to Simpson Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 10°C on average, January about -13°C. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid May. The season between ice runs from about mid May to late October. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. That shapes the year on Simpson Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Pike Lake is 11 km distant. Ask locally about Simpson Lake if anything is unclear.