West King Lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  West King Lake sits within Cariboo Regional District in British Columbia. Around the bank it is rolling bush. It runs to roughly 51 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Bank access stretches around 4.5 km in total. Clearwater is the closest place, 42 km off. The nearest city of size is Kamloops, 101 km away. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on West King Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Cariboo Regional District include sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon, bull trout and Coho salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Anyone new to West King Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put August near 14°C and January near -8°C. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. West King Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is East King Lake, 1.3 km out. Where West King Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.