Swordgrass Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Out in Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, British Columbia, sits Swordgrass Lake. It stands 517 metres above sea level. With some 48 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. There is roughly 5.0 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Some 132 km away sits Smithers, the nearest settlement. Terrace is 134 km and Telkwa 144 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Swordgrass Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine records list pink salmon, Chum salmon, Coho salmon and sockeye salmon among the fish reported. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Take Swordgrass Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 13°C; the cold one sits at -8°C. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Anyone fishing Swordgrass Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Hodder Lake is 2.1 km off. Check the position on Swordgrass Lake before loading the car.