Toby Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Toby Lake is set in Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia. It stands 1,121 metres above sea level. At roughly 3 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is a small entry by Thompson-Nicola Regional District standards. The closest town, 100 Mile House, is 38 km distant. Further out sit 108 Mile Ranch (44 km) and Cache Creek (67 km). It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Toby Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Thompson-Nicola Regional District include Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, rainbow trout and pink salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Treat Toby Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 15°C and January at -8°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. The season on Toby Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. 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. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, McKinley Lake at 3.1 km is the nearest alternative. For Toby Lake in particular, ask before you travel.