Slender Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Out in Regional District of Fraser-Fort George, British Columbia, sits Slender Lake. This is pine and birch ground. About 1.76 sq km, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. At about 11 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Size puts it in the front rank of our Regional District of Fraser-Fort George list. Supplies mean a trip to Prince George, 60 km off. Then Vanderhoof, 79 km, and Fort St. James, 79 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Slender Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Open biodiversity records for Regional District of Fraser-Fort George list Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, mountain whitefish and rainbow trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Slender Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 15°C and January at -10°C. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. It sets the rhythm of the year at Slender Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Bent Lake, 5.2 km out. Nothing here settles the position at Slender Lake for certain.