Smolock Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Smolock Lake is one of the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako listings for British Columbia. Elevation runs to 938 metres. At 7 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako. Supplies mean a trip to Vanderhoof, 57 km off. Kamloops sits 420 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Smolock Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako include sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon and pink salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Smolock Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 14°C and January at -12°C. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. On average, late April opens the water and mid November closes it again. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Smolock Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Stefiuk Lake sits 0.6 km off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Smolock Lake in what we hold.