Wheeler Lake Fishing in Stikine Region, British Columbia

• Overview

  Out in Stikine Region, British Columbia, sits Wheeler Lake. It stands 689 metres above sea level. At some 1.86 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. With 9.9 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Head to Watson Lake, 48 km away, for anything you forgot. For a city, Anchorage is 1145 km off. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Wheeler Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Stikine Region names Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon and mountain whitefish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Wheeler Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 14°C and January about -21°C. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early May. Climate figures give an open season running early May to early November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It holds true on Wheeler Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. 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. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Old Faddy Lake at 18 km is the sensible second choice. Treat Wheeler Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.