Stringer Lake near Princeton: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  British Columbia holds Stringer Lake, in Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen. The water sits 1,514 metres up. Surface area runs to about 7 hectares — small enough to read in one session. By elevation it is in the upper part of our British Columbia listings. 26 km away sits Princeton, the nearest town. The nearest city of size is Kelowna, 81 km away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Stringer Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, recorded fish include sockeye salmon, rainbow trout, Coho salmon, common carp and Chinook salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Stringer Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 14°C and December near -7°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. At Stringer Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. You can camp 160 m off, which suits an early start. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Gill Lake at 1.1 km is the sensible second choice. For Stringer Lake in particular, ask before you travel.