Tagai Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  British Columbia holds Tagai Lake, in Regional District of Fraser-Fort George. The country here is lake country bush. At 2.52 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. Shoreline length is close to 12 km, and each section fishes a little differently. Size puts it in the front rank of our Regional District of Fraser-Fort George list. Vanderhoof is the closest town at 66 km. Kamloops is the closest city, 386 km away. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Tagai Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Regional District of Fraser-Fort George cover Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, mountain whitefish and rainbow trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Tagai Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -11°C and July at about 14°C, the water has a wide range to work through. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. Open water usually runs from mid April until about mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Time your trip to Tagai Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Gesul Buhn is 6.3 km off. Where Tagai Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.