Harrison Lakes, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Harrison Lakes lies in Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, British Columbia. The bank gives way to open valley. It runs to roughly 42 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Roughly 2.8 km of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. For supplies, Metlakatla is 85 km out. Further out sit Ketchikan (92 km) and Prince Rupert (92 km). One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Harrison Lakes

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Open biodiversity records for Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine list pink salmon, Chum salmon and Coho salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Fish Harrison Lakes where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 14°C in August and bottoms out near -2°C in January. Neither winter nor summer shuts things down for long. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Harrison Lakes runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Reef Lake at 2.8 km is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Harrison Lakes.