Early season action - BC Lakes

[CPasley]

OK Bill,

You asked me to do this, so here ya go:

Made my first of many seasonal visits to BC lakes last weekend. While it's been nice and warm in CA, it's been cold up here in northern WA and southern BC, but not so cold that the low lying lakes have not thawed and bug activity has already started.

Hit a new lake this time in the southern Okanogan region. I like to check out new lakes, since there are so many to choose from and it is most challenging to figure out a new place. At first the place seemed dead, cold and no bugs were to be seen. The wind had a sharp chill and the lake shore was still brown, absent of spring growth and productivity.

We anchored just off shore along a drop off in about 15 feet of water in a likely looking zone for fish to be cruising. Spotting a few chironomid shucks on the surface, we set up two different rigs with chironomids, one for deep water(20 ft plus) and another for mid-depth(12 ft zone). My lady friend hooked a fish on the shallow rig before I could even get my deep water rig in the water, but it wasn't enough for me to shorten up yet. We sat out there for a couple hours before the bugs really started popping and the fish started feeding heavily at the 12 ft level. After she caught about 3 or 4 fish, I made the switch and the fishing really heated up. Folks that know me, know that I generally don't talk about numbers of fish, but rather the quality of the fish. These were all sterile(triploid) kamloops that had been stocked at the fry stage(excellent management strategy for quality lake fishing) and had grown in the lake for 1 to 3 or 4 years and become absolutely beautiful, powerful chromers that make good runs and jumps.

Prime time in BC is quickly approaching for folks that are thinking about heading up there. Remember to fish low lakes early and progressively increase your elevation as the season continues. Many of the high lakes, over 4000 feet, will fish well into July. Hatches change with warming conditions and include the same bugs you see down there, such as damsels, callibaetis, dragons, caddis(and the big sedge), etc. The leeches grow huge in many BC lakes and leech fishing can be an effective back up plan or even a starting plan for streamer fishers. Don't forget about scuds either. The old fresh water shrimp have bailed me out on a number of occasions.

All for now. Tight lines.
Chris P.

[Hairstacker]

Very nice report, thanks Chris!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Chris Pasley worked for us many years back. He now manages a federal fish hatchery in Winthrop, WA.

I was lucky to go with a small group of anglers from here up to the Kamloops, BC area with Chris a few summers ago.

May/June is a prime time for that area. There are two hundred lakes within a 2 hours driving time of Kamloops.

This is Brian Chan's territory. He has been the biologist for this area for over ~30 years now.