Fishing Townsend Lake in Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  Townsend Lake is one of the Cariboo Regional District waters in British Columbia. Everything around it is lake country bush. It measures about 24 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The edge runs 2.0 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Quesnel lies 34 km from the water. Then Williams Lake, 94 km, and Hanceville, 102 km. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Townsend Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon and bull trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Townsend Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -10°C in January to roughly 14°C in August. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. The season on Townsend Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Margaret Lake at 3.7 km is the sensible second choice. Nothing on Townsend Lake should be assumed from this page alone.