Spud Lake Fishing in Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, British Columbia

• Overview

  Spud Lake is one of the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako waters in British Columbia. Around the bank it is lake country bush. It measures about 23 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The bank runs about 2.5 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Burns Lake lies 48 km from the water. The nearest city of size is Kamloops, 522 km away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Spud Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako include 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. Read Spud Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 13°C, the coldest about -10°C. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Open water usually runs from late April until about mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Anyone fishing Spud Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Beaver Lake sits 1.3 km off and takes the overflow. The position on Spud Lake is worth confirming on the day.