Fishing Spruce Lake in Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  Spruce Lake is set in Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia. The surface lies 805 metres up. On water this small, stealth matters more than range. It is a small entry by Cariboo Regional District standards. Head to Quesnel, 13 km away, for anything you forgot. Then Williams Lake, 87 km, and Prince George, 115 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Spruce Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Cariboo Regional District cover sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon, bull trout and Coho salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Spruce Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 16°C and January about -9°C. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. Ice clears near early April and comes back about late November in a typical year. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. That is the shape of the year on Spruce Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Hallis Lake at 1.5 km is the nearest alternative. Signs at Spruce Lake carry more weight than any list.