Small Trout Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In British Columbia, Small Trout Lake belongs to Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako. Height above sea level is 845 metres. Roughly 11 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Shoreline comes to about 1.6 km, small enough to learn in a day. It is a small entry by Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako standards. Burns Lake is the closest place, 40 km off. Then Houston, 82 km, and Vanderhoof, 117 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Small Trout Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Public occurrence data for Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako names sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, pink salmon and Chum salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Work Small Trout Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -11°C to 14°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Expect Small Trout Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Takysie Lake sits 3.1 km off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Small Trout Lake in what we hold.