skeena fishing

36
Get your Fishing Maps 20 lakes & 3 rivers INSIDE New Stocking Report on p 34 SKEENA Skeena Fishing 2013 Angler’s Atlas Angler’s Atlas The www.AnglersAtlas.com 11 th Ed. Cover shot from Roger Smith. A win- ner of the 2013 photo contest sponsored by STEELHEAD

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region, unlike in many other areas, sustain naturally producing wild populations of rainbowtrout. However there are several lakes that are stocked regularly.

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Page 1: Skeena Fishing

Get yourFishing Maps20 lakes & 3 riversIN

SID

E New StockingReport on p 34

Skeena

Skeena Fishing 2013

Angler’s AtlasAngler’s AtlasThe

www.AnglersAtlas.com

11th Ed.

Cover shot from Roger Smith. A win-ner of the 2013 photo contest sponsored by

STeeLHeaD

Page 2: Skeena Fishing

INSIDE FRONT COVER

CANADIAN TIRE BUY

Canada’s Outdoor Store.

SMITHERS

3221 Highway 16 250-847-3117TERRACE

5100 Highway 16 250-635-7178

Page 3: Skeena Fishing

Page 3Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

Skeena Key Map

The Skeena Region covers a vast area of BC, taking up

the north-west quarter of the province. This region has world class rivers and thousands of lakes for anglers to explore. Most of the lakes in the Skeena region, unlike in many other areas, sustain naturally produc-

ing wild populations of rain-bow trout. However there are several lakes that are stocked regularly. New to the fishing guide this year is a listing of all stocked waters in this region (page 34). The types of trout released here are rainbows, cut-throat and Eastern brook trout.

This guide contains 20 lakes and three r i v e r s .

Most of them are cen-tred along the

h i g h w a y corridors,

with a f e w

off the beaten track.Some of the world’s best fly fishing can be found in the Skeena region, from fabulous productive mountain lakes to the world class steelhead rivers.Anglers of all persuasions will find a lot to keep them chal-lenged in the Skeena region. From fly-in fishing in remote waters, to drifting world class rivers, to trolling with the fam-ily on a weekend getaway. The Skeena region offers much to explore.This guide is meant as an appe-tizer to some of the great fish-ing in this region. Around each lake featured in this guide are often dozens of other lakes that are just as productive. Maps for

other lakes in this region are freely available at:

www.AnglersAtlas.com

SKEENA FISHING 2013

PublisherSean SimmonsProduction Co-ordinatorKathy BuhlerContributors: Joe DeGrisi, David Gruen, Roger Kincl, Cory Koenig, Dan Moffat, Randy Murray.Advertising sales, printing and distribution managed by Glacier Media Inc. Skeena Fishing 2013 is part of The Angler’s Atlas and is owned by Goldstream Publish-ing Inc.

1274 Fifth Ave.Prince George, BCV2L 3L2(250) [email protected]

www.AnglersAtlas.com

Page 4: Skeena Fishing

Page 4Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

Quick FactsSurface Area• 46,499 Hectares

(114,897 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 186 metres

(610 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 712 metres

(2,336 feet)

Survey Date• 1964

Contour Units• Metres

Babine Lake is home to a spe-cial strain of rainbow trout

that grow much larger than com-mon rainbow trout species. This strain of trout is part of a rare ecotype called the Sutherland population.

These rainbow trout feed on kokanee and salmon fry, and grow quite large. There is lim-ited information regarding the size of Babine Lake’s Sutherland population, and because it is a rare ecotype, anglers are encour-aged to practise catch-and-release when going after these big rainbow trout, to encourage the long term sustainability of this species. Barbless hooks are also encouraged to improve sur-vivability.

Fisheries biologists and area stakeholders continue their research programs on Babine Lake to determine if the stock is sustainable at present levels. They look at the habitat and conduct surveys on tributaries as well.

Babine Lake is known for pro-ducing trophy char, rainbow trout and salmon.

Some produc-tive lures for this lake are Rapalas,

Apex, Williams Warblers and Flatfish for the char. For trout, use small spinners and spoons, flatfish and Hotshots. It’s also a good idea to imitate salmon fry, partic-ularly in the early season. Very early in the morning, and later evenings are good fishing times.

Early in the season the trout

will inhabit shallow waters, but as the water warms up the fish migrate to deeper, cooler sec-tions of the lake.

Don’t miss the popular Father’s Day Fishing Derby in June or the Babine Lodge Fishing Derby in July!

(Continued on next page.)

BaBine Lakenorth

© The Angler’s

Atlas

Page 5: Skeena Fishing

Page 5Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

BaBine Lakesouth

The rainbow trout fishery offers great options for every type of angler. Fly fishers can float the section of water between Babine Lake and Nilkitkwa Lake, known as Rainbow Alley.

Fishing in Rainbow Alley can be some of the best in the prov-ince. Fly patterns that can work

well are stoneflies and Fry Egg +1, chinook

and coho fry, E p o x y

Minnows and Stimulators.

There are three major hatches to watch for—caddisflies, stone-flies and mayflies. When imi-tating these flies, it’s important to know your insect’s patterns. For example, when emerging, damselflies will swim straight up and then to the edge, while dragonflies will swim to the edge before heading up.

Please be aware that Rainbow Alley is considered Babine River for regulatory purposes. Several different restrictions apply, so it is very important to familiarize yourself with the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations before fishing here.

A portion of Babine Lake has been closed to angling. Please

consult the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations for

more information.

It’s also important to review the

Federal regu-lations for

salmon fishing. Babine Lake is closed to chinook fishing all year, and other species of salmon have specific opening dates.

LAKE ACCESS

There are four primary access points to Babine

Lake—north of Burns Lake to Pendelton Bay Provincial Park; near Granisle at recreation sites and provincial parks; at Smithers Landing and at Fort Babine. Granisle is located north of Topley (on Highway 16), fol-lowing the Granisle Highway.

Access to Smithers Landing/Fort Babine from Highway 16 is from Eckman Road, about 5 km east of Smithers on the right (east). Turn here and follow for 53 km. (Note: The road even-tually turns into Babine Lake Road). Turn left (north) onto the Nilkitkwa Forest Service Road, and follow for 44 km, to the turnoff to Fort Babine on the right (east).

Quick FactsSurface Area• 46,499 Hectares

(114,897 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 186 metres

(610 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 712 metres

(2,336 feet)

Survey Date• 1964

Contour Units• Metres

© The Angler’s Atlas

Page 6: Skeena Fishing

Page 6Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

CiCuta Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 174 Hectares

(430 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 12 metres

(39 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 910 metres

(2,956 feet)

Survey Date• August 1977

Contour Units• Metres

Ci c u t a Lake is a medium size lake

located south-west of Vanderhoof. It is known for its high rock bluffs and great fly fishing, with extensive shoals and drop offs to explore.

There are loads of small rainbows in Cicuta Lake. Trolling and strike indicator (bobber) fishing work well. Troll with a sinking line. If you are fishing with a strike indi-cator, use a long leader so the fly gets close to the bottom. Go deep for bigger fish.

Dan Moffat from Northern Hardware in Prince George, says that Cicuta Lake is a great choice for fall fly fishing. He suggests that good patterns to try are Muddler Minnows or Doc

Spratleys.

Moffat notes that anglers might

do well to immitate minnows. The trout

will go after "anything that looks like a minnow,"

he says.

At the moment there is no active stocking program but between 1986 and 1995 the lake was peri-odically stocked with yearling rainbow trout. The released trout included Tunkwa, Badger, and Genier strains.

For all your fishing needs stop by Northern Hardware in Prince George and talk with Dan and the knowledgeable staff.

LAKE ACCESS

From Prince George fol-low Highway 16 west to

Vanderhoof. Turn left (south) onto the Kenny Dam Road—watch for overhead signage in town. Travel along this road for approximately

90 k m to the Kenny Dam then turn right (west), cross the dam to Holy Cross Forest Service Road (FSR) and turn right again (north). There is a small, secondary road on the left side (west)—turn here and follow for another five km to Cicuta Lake.

Another popular route is via Holy Cross FSR which meets Highway 16 at Fraser Lake, and is about 65 km from the highway. If you go too far and meet the dam just backtrack using the directions above.

There is a forestry recreation site on the lake with seven vehicle units and a cartop boat launch. It is accessible with two wheel drive.

© The Angler’s

Atlas

Page 7: Skeena Fishing

Page 7Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Page 8: Skeena Fishing

Page 8Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

Dragon Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 531 Hectares

(1,312 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 9.5 metres

(31 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 185 metres

(607 feet)

Survey Date• August 1972

Contour Units• Feet

Dragon Lake is a medium size lake located in the Nass

Valley north of Terrace. Rainbow trout are a popular sport fish in this lake and are prized by fly fishers.

Rainbow trout in this lake can get very large, and the fishing is nor-mally good year round.

Fly fishers can try wet or dry flies when going after the rain-bows. For wet flies try Muddler Minnows, chironomids, dragonfly patterns and leeches, all using a sinking line. For dry flies try a mayfly or mosquito pattern along the edge of weedbeds.

Lure fishers can try small spin-ners, such as Blue Foxes, Panther Martins and Mepps —but keep the hooks small.

No special restrictions apply to this lake but make sure to con-sult the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis for the regional and provincial guide-lines.

Please remember that Dragon Lake is in bear country—both grizzly and black. Everyone should use cau-tion when fishing this and other remote lakes and bring along bear bangers and spray.

LAKE ACCESS

From Terrace, follow Highway 16 west to Kalum Lake

Drive, also known as the Nisga’a Highway. Follow this road north, 110 km, past New Aiyansh and the Nass Camp, to Dragon Lake. The lake is located about six kilo-metres past the camp, on the Nass Forest Service Road.

Dragon Lake has a medium size rec-reation site in a semi-open area with eleven vehi-

cle units. There is a boat launch and dock at the site, and it is RV accessible.

Note: Dragon Lake can also be reached from Hwy 37N by turn-ing west onto the Nass FSR at Cranberry Junction. Continue west on the Nass FSR for about 42 km.

© The Angler’s Atlas

Page 9: Skeena Fishing

Page 9Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

DunaLter Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 23 Hectares

(57 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 18 metres

(59 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 785 metres

(2,575 feet)

Survey Date• August 1982

Contour Units• Metres

Dunalter Lake is a small lake located about 15 kilometres

north of Houston. The lake is com-monly referred to as Irrigation Lake and has good fishing for cut-throat and rainbow trout. In 2012, 3,000 cutthroat trout were released into Dunalter Lake.

Dunalter Lake is a good place for family fishing, conveniently located in a popular public park. There is a dock in the day use area, where anglers can easily cast a line. In other spots the lake can be weedy, so boating with small boats or pontoons is popular.

In early spring, flies to try are chi-ronomids, used while still-water fishing with a strike indicator (bob-ber).

As the lake warms up, hatch activ-ity will increase with mayfly, cad-dis and midge hatches. The midges usually hatch through to June. In June the mayflies and caddis start to emerge.

Later in the summer, fishing drag-onfly and leech patterns in the deeper water should work well.

Some popular lures used on the lake are Gang Trolls, Triple Teazers, Triplefish, and little Apex Trout Killers.

There is a motor restriction in place on Dunalter Lake. See the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations for more information.

If Dunalter Lake is on your list of favourites, follow it on the Angler’s Atlas website. Go to www.anglersatlas.com/lakes/487 and click on the “follow” button. This will send you notifications when new information is added to the lake page. Share your stories and map markers there as well.

L A K E ACCESS

From Burns Lake follow

Highway 16 west, about 15 kilometres

past Houston, to a sign reading “Irrigation Lake”.

Turn left (west) onto a small road and follow for about half a kilome-tre to the lake.

There is a day-use camp ground and picnicking area near the lake, and also a dock. The lake is easily accessed by belly boats, pontoon boats and canoes.

© The Angler’s Atlas

Page 10: Skeena Fishing

Page 10Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

kitsumkaLum Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 1,969 Hectares

(4,865 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 139.9 metres

(459 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 149 metres

(489 feet)

Survey Date• July 1972

Contour Units• Feet

Ki t s u m -kalum Lake

is a large, deep lake about 25 kilometers north of Terrace. Also referred to as Kalum or Kitsumgallum Lake, it has good fishing for cutthroat trout and dolly varden.

The Kitsumkalum River, at the north end of the lake, is known for its excellent salmon fish-ery. Special regulations apply for salmon, and anglers should consult the BC Freshwater Salmon Supplement published by Fisheries and Oceans, as well as the provincial regulations, before going after salmon. This applies to both the lake and the river.

Anglers going after cutthroat in Kitsumkalum Lake will be in for a real treat. Fishing for cutthroat is a great experience. At times, cutthroat are entirely indiscrimi-nate about their food choices, and will go after anything available.

At other times, these beautiful trout can be almost finicky. Try

leech or stick-leback patterns throughout the season, or a flatfish or Panther Martin, both in black and silver colour combina-tions.

Dolly Varden are also present in Kitsumkalum Lake. Try fish egg patterns, small fish patterns, and flashy spoons and spinners.

We love to hear your stories! Visit the Kitsumkalum Lake page on the Angler’s Atlas website to share your map markers, pho-tos and fishing tips. See www.anglersatlas.com/lakes/981.

LAKE ACCESS

West Kalum Road leads to a forestry recreation site

located on the south shore of Kitsumkalum Lake, called The Hart Farm. This is a medium size site in a semi-open area. From Terrace, head west on Highway 16, across the Kitsumkalum River, and then turn right (north) onto West Kalum Road. Follow this road for 27 km to the Redsand Demonstration Forest, and into

the Hart Farm recreation site.

Kalum Lake Drive also leads to Kitsumkalum Lake, and runs along the lake’s eastern shore. There are a few rugged boat launches on this side of the lake, but current status of these launch-es is unknown. For current infor-mation on these boat launches, head down to one of the local tackle shops to find out more.

© The Angler’s Atlas

22ND ANNUAL

RV & MARINE Show & Sale!KAMLOOPS POW WOW GROUNDS

AT THE

Visit our website: www.kamloopsrvandmarineshow.com

May 2 to 5, 2013

Best Deals of the Year!

Page 11: Skeena Fishing

Page 11Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

101 - 1300 First Avenue • Prince George BC V2L 2Y3 www.tourismpg.com

Avid anglers, bait your hooks! Prince George boasts 1600 lakes, rivers and streams in the surrounding area for beginners or advanced fishermen to cast their lines.

Get hooked on your next fishing adventure!

Page 12: Skeena Fishing

Page 12Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

kLeanza Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 25 Hectares

(62 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 18 metres

(59 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 736 metres

(2,415 feet)

Survey Date• October 1974

Contour Units• Feet

Kleanza Lake is a small lake east of Terrace located along

Kleanza Road. There are several species of sport fish present in the lake, but it is best known for the plentiful rainbow trout. The trout are generally in the one pound range, and fairly easy to catch making it a great place to bring kids to fish.

Kids learning to fly fish should use a lighter fly rod, such as a four-weight. With a sinking line (wet flies) try a small minnow pattern with a silver body, and a touch of red. Or try chironomid patterns for still fishing.

For dry flies try using a mosqui-to and mayfly pattern. This lake is very productive and the fish often go after most fly patterns. Dragonflies and leeches are other good starting patterns.

If you just want to get out and fish, the classic technique of a worm and bob-ber works w e l l

in this lake.

Kleanza Lake is fairly shallow, and is a great lake for belly boats. The southwest end of the lake is a good place to start if you want to try a deeper section out of the weeds.

No special restrictions apply to this lake, but make sure to con-sult the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations for the regional and provincial guidelines.

Always remember that Kleanza Lake is in bear country—both griz-zly and black. Everyone should use caution when fish-ing Skeena lakes, and bring along bear bangers and bear spray.

LAKE ACCESS

From Terrace, follow Highway 16 east about 20 km to

Kleanza Road on the right (east). Turn here and follow for another 25 km. Kleanza Lake is located on the right (south) side, and can be seen from the road.

There is a short trail at the east end of the lake which can be found by turning right onto a secondary for-est road shortly after passing the lake. Alternatively, you can pull over when you

see the lake from Kleanza

Road, and a little bush whacking will also bring

you to the lake. Fishing can be done from shore, or portage in a small boat.

There are no facilities on the lake, but Kleanza Creek Provincial Park is located a short distance from the lake, at the junction of Highway 16 and Kleanza Road. The park has 32 vehicle accessi-ble campsites, in a treed area, and offers other recreational oppor-tunities.

© The Angler’s

Atlas

22ND ANNUAL

RV & MARINE Show & Sale!KAMLOOPS POW WOW GROUNDS

AT THE

Visit our website: www.kamloopsrvandmarineshow.com

May 2 to 5, 2013

Best Deals of the Year!

Page 13: Skeena Fishing

Page 13Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

LakeLse Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 31.7 Hectares

(3,608 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 31.7 metres

(104 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 77 metres

(253 feet)

Survey Date• 1976

Contour Units• Feet

The opportunities seem endless on Lakelse Lake. The cutthroat

and rainbow trout fisheries are one part of a great lake experience. An adventure playground awaits for the kids, explore the hiking trails amidst the old-growth forests, or relax on the sandy beaches after a day of excellent fishing. Lakelse Lake is considered one of the region’s Family Fishing Waters.

One of the species in Lakelse Lake is cutthroat trout. When fishing cut- throat, remember that they are oppor-tunistic feed-

ers. They often prefer small fish, crustaceans and insects, but will go after anything available. Try fishing a minnow pattern with a slow retrieve. Gear fishers can try small silver spoons.

As well, try exploring weed beds in the lake. A black Woolly Bugger or black and silver flatfish, could prove effective in deeper sections.

While cutthroat can often be found in streams and rivers, please note that special regulations apply to the Lakelse River. This world class river is catch and release for cutthroat trout.

As well, Lakelse River provides excellent steelhead fishing oppor-tunities. However, extensive regu-lations apply, such as a bait ban, motor and time restrictions and a mandatory steel-head stamp. Please see the BC

Freshwater F i s h i n g

Regulations for more information.

There is a well developed provin-cial park on the north and eastern shore of Lakelse Lake. The park consists of three separate sec-tions—Gruchy’s Beach, Lakelse Lake Picnic Area, and Furlong Bay Campground. The park is sur-rounded by the mountains of the Kitimat Range, and stands of old growth forests.

Add your own map markers and

f i s h -ing tips to

the Lakelse Lake web page

on the Angler’s Atlas website.

See www.anglersatlas.com/lakes/1043.

LAKE ACCESS

From Terrace, head south along Highway 37. Gruchy’s Bay

and the picnic area is located about 15 km along highway. To get to the campground and boat launch, continue along the highway for another five km to Furlong Bay Campground.

The campground has excellent facilities, with a double-paved boat launch, loading dock and plenty of parking space. Also, the launch is located close to the day-use area of the campground.

© The Angler’s Atlas

Page 14: Skeena Fishing

Page 14Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

Lava Lake

Lava Lake is about 45 minutes north of Terrace and lies

within Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park. The lake has good cutthroat trout fishing and dolly varden can also be caught there.

Try fishing along areas with large weed beds—preferably sub-sur-face weeds. During the hatches fly fishers can try a mosquito or mayfly pattern in these areas.

Lure fish-e r s

can try a

s m a l l M e p p s

or Rooster Tail, and

trailing the lure with a worm really helps.

Lava Lake’s many bays and shoals are great fish habitat. This is also a real all-season lake, as the depths vary quite a bit. The shallower south end is ideal for spring and fall fishing. As the season heats up, explore further north. In particular, there is a steep drop off at the far north end, and this is a good place to start.

Fish inventories of the lake reveal a wide range of species are pres-

ent. This includes cutthroat trout, dolly varden, kokanee, long-nose sucker, mountain whitefish, peamouth chub, prickly sculpin, steelhead, sucker (general). This inventory should not be consid-ered complete, as other species may exist but have not been

c a p -tured during surveys.

Tell us more about Lava Lake! Add your photos, stories and fish-ing tips to the Lava Lake page on the Angler’s Atlas website. See www.anglersatlas.com/lakes/1059.

ABOUT THE AREA

The area around Lava Lake is highly valued for relatively

young lava flows that ran hot about 250 years ago. A few kilo-metres north of the lake, a guided hike is available which follows the lava flows to the top of the crater at Melita Lakes.

The provincial park offers a wide range of recreational opportuni-ties and in the winter snowmo-biling is popular along Sterling Mountain Trails.

LAKE ACCESS

From Terrace, head west along

Highway 16 to Nisga’a Highway. Lava Lake is another 100 km along the highway.

The highway runs along the east-ern shore of Lava Lake, and there are several pull outs where a small cartop can be launched.

There is also a small gravel boat launch at the north end of Lava Lake. There should be plenty of space for parking as well.

New for 2013! Now members of the Angler’s Atlas can “fol-low” their favourite lakes! Get new information about your local lakes as soon as it’s posted. Have something to say? Post to the pages of your favourite lakes and share videos, current conditions and tips. Visit www.anglersatlas.com for more information.

Quick FactsSurface Area• 563 Hectares

(1,391 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 56 metres

(184 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 222 metres

(728 feet)

Survey Date• August 1972

Contour Units• Feet

© The Angler’s

Atlas

Page 15: Skeena Fishing

Page 15Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

maxan Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 638 Hectares

(1,576 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 25 metres

(82 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 765 metres

(2,510 feet)

Survey Date• September 1973

Contour Units• Feet

Maxan Lake is a popular fishing

lake, situated between Houston and Burns Lake. It offers excellent fishing for rainbow trout and burbot. Avoid the lake trout, as fishing regula-tions have closed this species to fishing in Maxan Lake.

Try fishing for rainbow trout in the shallow areas of the lake, and using smaller tackle. Popular areas are in the bays and along the shoals. The best time to fish for rainbow trout is in the spring.

For flyfishers, a standard leech pattern should work well, and lure fishers can try the reliable Willow Leaf with a worm if you are trolling.

If you are targeting burbot, try jigging just off the bottom with a small Buzzbomb. If you are spending the night, you may

want to use a set line, as described in the Freshwater Fishing Regulations. You are only allowed one line with a single hook, which must be at least 3 cm from the point to the shank. The line must be marked with your name, address and telephone number.

The Angler’s Atlas lake page for Maxan Lake is at www.anglersatlas.com/lakes/1199. Add your own fishing tips, or sign up to be notified when someone else does by following your favourite lakes. See www.anglersatlas.com for more information.

LAKE ACCESS

From Smithers follow Highway 16 east about 40

km past Houston, to Forestdale Road on your right (south). Follow this road for about five kilometres, which then turns into the Maxan Creek Road.

Continue another 11 km along this road, which will

take you directly to the shores of Maxan

Lake.

There is a forest recreation site on the north-west shore of this lake, in a sheltered bay. The site is accessible with two-wheel drive, and has twelve vehicle units. The site has a boat launch and small beach.

© The Angler’s Atlas

22ND ANNUAL

RV & MARINE Show & Sale!KAMLOOPS POW WOW GROUNDS

AT THE

Visit our website: www.kamloopsrvandmarineshow.com

May 2 to 5, 2013

Best Deals of the Year!

Page 16: Skeena Fishing

Page 16Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

mCDoneLL Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 223 Hectares

(531 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 14.6 metres

(48 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 823 metres

(2,700 feet)

Survey Date• August 1968

Contour Units• Feet

McDonnell Lake is a medi-um size lake located about

35 kilometres west of Smithers. It is the last in a chain of three popular fishing lakes locat-

ed along the McDonnell Forest Service Road, preceded by Aldrich and Dennis Lakes.

The lake is known for its cut-throat trout, but also contains dolly varden. Although the fish are not often large, they are plen-tiful.

Fishing leech patterns and dam-selflies is recommended when targeting cutthroat. For lures, try small wedding bands or a blue fox in a size zero or one.

The lake is near the headwaters of the Zymoetz (Copper) River, and near the top of the mountain. It can get fairly windy up there, and anglers should be prepared for strong winds.

The Copper River is known for its amazing steelhead fish-ery. Fishing this river, as with most rivers in the Skeena

region, is a fishing adventure of a lifetime. Wild

steelhead are a thrill to catch, their fight and vigor unmatched.

The Copper River is Classified Water, and a steelhead stamp is mandatory. Please consult the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations for more information. As well, to make the most of your trip, it may be worthwhile to hire a guide. New regulations in place beginning in April, 2011, will affect the Copper River. Please review regulations before head-ing out.

These are remote lakes, popu-lar for backcountry adventures. Please be prepared for wildlife encounters and emergency situ-ations.

Do you have information to add about McDonell Lake? See www.anglersatlas.com/lakes/1213 to post stories, videos and more. Now Angler’s Atlas members can

fol-low their

f a v o u r i t e lakes. Be notified

when someone posts to your favourites. Go to www.anglersatlas.com for more infor-mation.

LAKE ACCESS

From Terrace, head east to Smithers. Follow Hudson

Bay Mountain Road from town, which turns into McDonnell Forest Service Road. McDonnell Lake is located about 35 km along this road, on the left (south) side of the road.

Although there are no facilities on the lake, there used to be a forest recreation site at the east end of the lake, and you should be able to launch a small car-top boat at this location. There is another forest recreation site located at Dennis Lake, a few kilometres before reaching McDonnell Lake, which has five vehicle units.

© The Angler’s

Atlas

Get hooked on your next fishing adventure!

www.tourismpg.com

Page 17: Skeena Fishing

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CHRYSLER BUY

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CHRYSLER BUY

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Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

niLkitkwa Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 487 Hectares

(1,203 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 21 metres

(69 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 712 metres

(2,336 feet)

Survey Date• 1964

Contour Units• Metres

Ni l k i t k w a Lake is a narrow lake famous for its great stonefly hatch and trophy trout.The stonefly hatch starts with the warmer weather and normal-ly lasts until the end of July—sometimes into August. Try to cast a dry fly pattern downstream, and let it drift with the boat. Keep the line loose in order to make the fly look real. When fishing along the weed beds, try a Parachute Adams or Royal Wullf dry fly. A Sofa Pillow will also work well.Compared to its upstream neigh-bour, Babine Lake, Nilkitkwa Lake is quite shallow and has large weed beds. The Babine River flows through the lake, creating a slow moving current well suited for drift fishing.The salmon runs on Babine River provide an excellent food source for rainbow trout, from salmon carcasses as well as the salmon fry that emerge from stream beds.

Upstream of this lake is a short section of river known

as “Rainbow Alley,” which boasts some of the best

rainbow trout fishing in the province.

The trout can grow

l a rg e r than ten pounds. Please consult the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations for restrictions in place.Nilkitkwa Lake is fly-fishing only, and there is a bait ban in effect (see regulations for exceptions).For more information about some great hand-tied flies for Nilkitkwa Lake, visit www.webflyz.com.Take a look at the web page for Nilkitkwa Lake at www.angler-satlas.com/lakes/70316. This is a great place to post your own fishing tips and stories, as well as share your map markers for everything from hotspots to haz-ards. If Nilkitkwa Lake is one of your favourites, sign up to receive a notification whenever someone posts new information

to the page. See www.anglers-atlas.com for details.

LAKE ACCESS

Follow Highway 16 east to Eckman Road on the left

(west), just past Smithers. Turn here and fol-low for 53 km.

( N o t e : T h e

r o a d eventually turns into Babine Lake Road.) Turn left (north) onto the Nilkitkwa Forest Service Road, and follow for 44 km, to the turnoff to Fort Babine on the right (east).There is a small provincial park on Nilkitkwa Lake, consisting of two sections of lakefront. Both lie within a protected bay and have nice beaches. Access to the park is by boat. Visit BC Parks website for further infor-mation:

www.bcparks.ca

© The Angler’s Atlas

Come fish mACKeNZie…

T: 250.997.3221 • www.district.mackenzie.bc.ca • e: [email protected]

the beautiful surroundings and watch for wildlife as you enjoy a day of fishing. Our many surrounding lakes offer a wide variety of fish for all levels of angler.

Page 21: Skeena Fishing

THERE’S SO MUCH TO HIKE · THERE’S SO MUCH TO DISCOVER · THERE’S SO MUCH TO CLIMB · THERE’S SO MUCH TO LOVE · THERE’S SO MUCH TO FISH · THER

CAST A LINE HERE

1.800.542.6673 · www.TourismSmithers.com

Visitor Centre at 1411 Court St.

THERE AREN’T MANY PLACES LIKE THIS. Smithers provides you with easy access to the

Babine, Bulkley, Skeena, Suskwa and Morice river systems, not to mention the countless local

lakes. Enjoy our comfortable lodging and restaurants. Excellent fi shing and outdoor retailers,

along with local guides, provide everything you need for an outstanding angling experience.STEELHEAD PARADISE CLIP

smithers, brit ish columbia

Access to f ive of the world’s premier steelhead waters

BVEDA 9047c (Angler's Atlas).indd 1 7-03-13 9:49 AM

Page 22: Skeena Fishing

Page 22Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

onion Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 15 Hectares

(37 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 19.8 metres

(65 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 186 metres

(610 feet)

Survey Date• August 1959

Contour Units• Feet

Onion Lake is small lake south of Terrace, and is

one of the few lakes in the area that are regularly stocked with rainbow trout.The stocking program on Onion Lake releases 1,000 rainbow trout yearlings. The program releases trout every two years, and includes Tunkwa, Premier and Badger strains of trout. The earliest known stocking of Onion Lake was in 1960, when 1000 rainbow trout fry were released. Onion Lake is also known for the cross country ski trails that wind through the area. In the summer,

the trails are used by hikers and bikers, and the trails lead past two other lakes—Lower and Upper Clearwater Lakes—also known for fishing. Onion Lake is close to Lakelse Lake, which is another fabulous fishing lake. Fisheries records show the populations of cut-throat trout, dolly varden, and kokanee inhabit these lakes, as well as some salmon species.Have you fished Onion Lake? Share your expe-riences with Angler’s Atlas members on the Onion Lake page at www.anglersatlas.com/lakes/1424.

LAKE ACCESS

From Terrace, head south along Highway 37, about 27

km. Onion Lake is located along the highway, on the right hand (west) side.The trails that wind past Onion and Clearwater Lakes are con-

s i d e r e d an easy

hike, and pass through an

old growth reserve. Clearwater Lakes are a one-to-two km hike along the trails, and are ideally suited for belly boats, or light-weight pontoon boats.To get a good overview map of the trails, the Snow Valley Nordic ski club has trailmaps on their website at www.snowval-leynordics.com and then select the Maps link. There is an aerial overview of all three lakes and a trail map.

Cast your line in our lakes and rivers…take care of your fi shing needs in Smithers

www.tourismsmithers.com

SMITHERS, BC

BVEDA 9047c (Angler's Atlas) banner.indd 1 8-03-13 1:47 PM

Page 23: Skeena Fishing

Page 23Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

owen Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 297 Hectares

(734 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 37.5 metres

(123 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 747 metres

(2,450 feet)

Survey Date• July 1961

Contour Units• Feet

Owen Lake is a popular recre-ation lake with good fishing

for rainbow trout and lake trout (char). Most of the rainbow trout are in the one to two pound range while the lake trout can reach up to twenty pounds.

When fishing for rainbows a Willow Leaf and worm is a good place to start. Another popular lure is the smaller size Apex “Troutkillers” in black or blue and with silver specks.

Fly fishers can try a stonefly nymph or Dragon Butler pattern. In the warmer weather the rain-bow trout will migrate to deeper reaches of the lake and a fish-finder can help locate the best depth to target these fish.

When going after lake trout try using a Williams Wobbler, Flatfish or Rapala Minnow. Make sure to get your line down deep and if necessary use a downrig-ger.

If you’re in the area, it may be worthwhile to

explore near-by Parrott

L a k e s . These

are a chain of four lakes, consid-ered family-friendly, with good fishing and camping available.

As well, nearby Tagetochlain Lake is worth exploring. Members on the Angler’s Atlas website (www.anglersatlas.com/lakes/1835) report that Tagetochlain Lake has a boat launch, and supports a good population of char.

LAKE ACCESS

From Houston head south along the Morice River Forest

Service Road (FSR) staying left (east) at the 27 km fork, keeping on the Morice-Owen FSR. The road wraps around the east side of the lake, and there is a forestry recreation site on the lake shore.

The recreation site is a very pop-ular camping spot and has space for twenty vehicle units. The site also comes with a boat launch and is close to Nadina Mountain trail.

New for 2013! Now members of the Angler’s Atlas can “fol-low” their favourite lakes! Get new information about your local lakes as soon as it’s posted. Have something to say? Post to the pages of your favourite lakes and share videos, current conditions and tips to help out your fellow anglers. Visit www.anglersatlas.com for more information.

© The Angler’s Atlas

Page 24: Skeena Fishing

Page 24Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

Pine Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 34 Hectares

(84 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 14.3 metres

(47 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 207 metres

(679 feet)

Survey Date• October 1974

Contour Units• Feet

Pine Lake is a small water-body north of Terrace and being close to town it is great for daytrips with a flyrod.

Try exploring some of the many features around the island on the east side of the lake. The deeper water in these sections can make for more productive fishing in the heat.

Cutthroat trout are the main tar-get and fishing can be good on a wet or dry fly. Randy Murray, owner of Northcoast Anglers in Terrace, says that being a small lake, most people fish from shore or a small boat.

Expect the unexpected when it comes to insect hatches on Pine Lake. “There aren’t hatches all season, but when one happens, it happens quickly,” says Murray.

Dragonflies and leeches are

good c h o i c e s . Chironomids and mayflies are good to have on hand as well. Cast a mayfly toward the emerg-ing trout and just let it float for a while.

Lure fishing on this lake can also be rewarding. Small is best, says Murray. Rooster tails and Panther Martins are good choic-es, and some folks have good success with a standard Wedding Band and worm. Murray says the key is to keep it small and flashy.

LAKE ACCESS

From Terrace head west on Highway 16, across the

Kitsumkalum River, and then turn right (north) onto West Kalum Road. Follow this road

for 12 km to the

Pine Lakes recreation site.

This small site is located in a for-

ested section, and is part of the Pine Lakes Trail. It is accessible by two-wheel drive and there are five vehicle units for camping. The site also has a cartop boat launch.

Pine Lake Trail wraps around the lake, and offers excellent views of the mountains and lake. This 6 km trail is an easy hike, and suitable for family use. The trail is also popular among mountain bikers.

NOTE: We’ve received a report that a gate along the West Kalum Road gets locked after 6 pm on occassion.

© The Angler’s Atlas

Page 25: Skeena Fishing

Page 25Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

reDsanD anD treston Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 39 & 90 Hectares

(96 & 223 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 14.6 & 34.1 metres

(48 & 112 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 112 metres

(400 feet)

Survey Date• August 1972

Contour Units• Feet

Just south of Kitsumkalum Lake are Redsand and Treston

Lakes, located in the Redsand Demonstration Forest. The lakes are part of the Kitsumkalum R i v e r and offer

good fishing for cutthroat trout and dolly varden, both with lures and fly patterns. Along with the fabulous fishing, enjoy the walk-ing and biking trails, and the spec-tacular mountain views.

Fly fishers can try emerg-ing minnow and chironomid patterns on the bottom or a small midge pattern for the surface. Fish the emerg-ing minnow pattern near the lake bottom to imitate a small fry emerging.

Lure fishers can try trolling a Wedding Band with worm. A

maggot also works well.If you’re going after cutthroat, black and silver colour com-binations can work well. This applies to both fly patterns and

lures.The west end of

Treston Lake and north-

west corner of Redsand

Lake are s u i t a b l e

for belly

boats and pontoon boats. But it is recommended that you use a larger boat on the eastern portion of the lakes as the current from the Kitsumkalum River is quite strong.Redsand and Treston Lakes are open for coho fishing from September 1 to October 31. Please be sure to consult both the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations as well as the federal Fisheries and Oceans regulations. The chi-nook fishery is closed on these lakes.

LAKE ACCESS

From Terrace follow Highway 16 across the Kitsumkalum

River and turn right (north) at the Kalum Forest Service Road. Continue down this road about 26 km to the Redsand Demonstration Forest.Although there are three camping locations within the demonstra-tion forest only one is located on Redsand Lake. This large site has 20 vehicle units for camping. The site is accessible with 2WD and is connected to a wheelchair acces-sible interpretive trail. The Redsand Demonstration Forest is a popular destination, as it offers a wide range of recre-ational activities. There are three campgrounds, three trails, and a variety of ecotypes within the demonstration forest, and also has a self-guided interpretive loop.

Page 26: Skeena Fishing

Page 26Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

ross Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 33 Hectares

(82 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 8.2 metres

(27 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 402 metres

(1,319 feet)

Survey Date• July 1961

Contour Units• Feet

Ross Lake is an ideal family fish-ing lake, and has been labelled

a Family Fishing Water in the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations. Family Fishing Waters are easily accessible, and offer good catch-ing opportunities with easy fishing from shore.

Ross Lake is also one of the most popular in the area, for many rea-sons. Besides being family-friend-ly, the lake and the provincial park in which it is situated are ideal for wildlife viewing opportunities, the swimming and the hiking trails. During the winter, Ross Lake is an excellent ice fishing lake.

Ross Lake is a small, clear water lake east of New Hazelton and is part of the Bulkley River system. The food are plentiful here, and that helps the fish to grow fairly quickly. Patience is required, but the size of both of these species is a reward.

Cory Koenig, expert fly tier (www.webflyz.com) , says that leeches, chirono-

mids, damselfly nymphs, and water boatman flies are good patterns for Ross Lake. As well, try small gammarus shrimp flies. Some dry flies to try are black Tom Thumbs, Humpies and Royal Wulffs.

The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC maintains a stocking pro-gram for both rainbow and brook trout in this lake. Brook trout have been released every year since 1984, using Aylmer stocks, and rainbow trout have been released most years since 1955. In 2012, 3,000 of each were released into the lake.

Please note that there is a motor restric-tion on the lake, allowing elec-tric motors only.

LAKE ACCESS

From Terrace, follow Highway 16 east and just after New

Hazelton there is a turnoff for Ross Lake Provincial Park on your right (north). Turn here and follow road to the lake.

The park is very scenic, and has a picnic area, beach, hiking trail and boat launch. The boat launch is single lane and gravel with a gentle grade. The park is for day-

use only.

© The Angler’s Atlas

Page 27: Skeena Fishing

Page 27Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Page 28: Skeena Fishing

Page 28Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

rounD Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 182 Hectares

(450 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 20.4 metres

(67 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 576 metres

(1,890 feet)

Survey Date• August 1958

Contour Units• Feet

Round Lake is located on the east side of Highway 16

between Houston and Smithers. Also considered a Family Fishing Water according to the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations, the lake boasts excellent cut-throat trout fishing. In 2012, the BC Freshwater Fisheries Society released 3,000 cutthroat trout into Round Lake.

Cory Koenig of Webflyz BC says that Round Lake provides awesome fishing for cutthroat and raibow trout up to 20+ inch-es long.

Koenig says there are a few essentials for Round Lake. Make sure your fly box is stocked with leeches, chronomids, dam-selfly nymphs, and water boat-man flies.

He notes that early season flies will consist of leeches in olive, black, and brown, with or without beadheads, along with go-to flies like the Bulldog, Egg-sucking Leeches, and small Cutthroat Candy in hook sizes #6-14.

Flyfishing or trolling with small Croks, spinners and Wedding Band lures are an easy way to catch the cutthroat and rainbow trout. Other options are to troll a Triple Teazer, a Flatfish (F4 size), or a Hotshot.

Fishing later in the season can be hit and miss, as the lake often experiences large algae blooms, and can get very weedy.

At these times, try increasing the size of your fly pat-terns. Cutthroat may take a surface fly, though they tend to prefer bottom feeding. Try wobbling plugs and spoons cast or trolled along the bottom. Early mornings and late evenings are the best times to target these fish.

A popular driving tour uses Round Lake as its centerpiece. After turning onto Round Lake Road, you are taken on a circu-lar tour through dairy farming country. From various vantage points, you are able to get spec-tacular views of the four moun-tain ranges of the Bulkley Valley Telkwa Range, Hudson Bay Range, Hazleton Range and the Babine Mountains. Near the end of the tour, you’ll catch a quick glimpse of beautiful Tyhee Lake, just a few kilometers northwest of Round Lake.

F o r m o r e

informa-tion about

great fly pat-terns for Round

Lake and others, v i s i t Cory Koenig on the web at www.webflyz.com.

LAKE ACCESS

From Houston travel west along Highway 16 to Round

Lake Road on your right (east), roughly 10 km before Smithers. Follow this road for a few kilo-metres to the Community Hall, where you will find a boat launch. The lake is a good fam-ily fishing lake, with plenty of fish for the kids.

© The Angler’s

Atlas

Get hooked on your next fishing adventure!

www.tourismpg.com

Page 29: Skeena Fishing

Page 29Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

takysie Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 514 Hectares

(1,270 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 11.6 metres

(38 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 772 metres

(2,532 feet)

Survey Date• July 1969

Contour Units• Feet

Takysie Lake is

south of Burns Lake, between Francois Lake and the Nechako Reservoir. It is known for its wild rainbow trout fish-ery and has several accomodation options. It is also a great family fishing lake.

David Gruen from Takysie Resort says the fishing is “fabu-lous. Kids can catch lots of fish right off the dock.” A worm and bobber work well, as do Mepps and Panther Martins.

“Green seems to work well,” says Gruen. A Bear Valley Willow Leaf or Bear Valley Spinner is productive.

Gruen suggests Muddler Minnows, Montana Beadheads and leeches for fly fishers. Dry flies such as Adams and Tom Thumbs are good producers.

Other tackle that work well are Triple Teazers and Needle Fish. Try attaching a split shot to the

line about six feet up from the lure.

There is a special no fishing area on Takysie Lake between March 1 and May 31. Signs are posted on opposite shores of the lake mark-ing the no fishing boundary, just north of Takysie Lake settlement. Please consult the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis before fishing this lake.

Angler’s Atlas members can sign up to follow their favourite lakes and Experts. Follow Takysie Lake and be notified whenever new information is posted to the lake page. See www.anglersat-las.com/lakes/1843 and click on the “follow” button.

Dozens of other lakes in the area are worth exploring. Angler’s Atlas members have posted photos of the large lake trout in Francois

L a k e at www.anglersatlas.com/lakes/634.

LAKE ACCESS

From Burns Lake follow Highway 35 south to the

Francois Lake ferry. Take the ferry across the lake and continue south for another 24 kilometres to the north-west tip of Takysie Lake.

David and Rise Gruen at Takysie Resort can be reached at (250) 694-3403, or email them at [email protected] or visit their website at www.takysielak-eresort.ca

There is also a forest recreation site on the northern shore of the lake. It is a twelve unit site, and is a popular camping and fishing destination. The site has a boat launch.

© The Angler’s

Atlas

Page 30: Skeena Fishing

Page 30Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

unCha Lake

Quick FactsSurface Area• 503 Hectares

(1,243 Acres)

Maximum Depth• 15.2 metres

(50 feet)

Elevation (ASL)• 692 metres

(2,270 feet)

Survey Date• August 1952

Contour Units• Feet

Un c h a Lake, south of Francois Lake, has good fishing for rainbow trout and big char. Some anglers have even reported char greater than 30 pounds. If you are fishing for char, make sure your lure goes deep, as they retreat to colder water in the heat of the summer months.

The most popular lures are the Flatfish, T50 and T60 in a silver or coho blue colour. Other colours are also popular, including lures in black, red and white. Less known lures for fishing char include the Flatfish M2, the Swimwhiz and Kwikfish.There is good rainbow trout fish-ing on Uncha Lake, in the one to two pound range. Roger Kyncl from Moosehorn Lodge says that the fishing has been great. “So many things work really well.” Small Apex seem to be consistent producers. Trolling works best, he adds.Fly fishers may want to try stan-

dard p a t t e r n s

such as Doc Spratleys, leeches and Woolly Worms. Either troll with these patterns, about six feet below the surface, or cast and strip.A Doc Spratley in black may work well for rainbow as well, or try a willow leaf and worm. For these trout, try areas near bays. Be sure to consult the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations for quota information.If you’re familiar with Uncha Lake, share your stories on the Angler’s Atlas! Photos, videos, map markers and more can be posted at www.anglersatlas.com/lakes/1991.LAKE ACCESS

From Burns Lake follow Highway 35 south to the

Francois Lake ferry and cross the lake. Turn left immediately after leaving the ferry onto Uncha Lake

Road. The lake

offers two a c c o m m o d a t i o n

options for anglers—Moosehorn Lodge, located on the north shore of the lake, and a recreation site on the south shore.There is good signage guiding travelers to Moosehorn Lodge, located just off the Uncha Lake Road. The lodge offers 12 log cabin rentals, space for 20 full hookup RV’s, numerous camping pads, and boat rentals. To get to the forest recreation site, continue along Uncha Road until meeting Campbell Road. Turn right here (south), and continue about four kilometres to Binta Road. Turn left (east) and con-tinue for another 8 kilometres. The site is located on the left side (north). It is a twelve unit site, and is a popular camping and fishing destination. The site has a boat launch.

© The Angler’s Atlas

Come fish mACKeNZie…

T: 250.997.3221 • www.district.mackenzie.bc.ca • e: [email protected]

the beautiful surroundings and watch for wildlife as you enjoy a day of fishing. Our many surrounding lakes offer a wide variety of fish for all levels of angler.

Page 31: Skeena Fishing

Page 31Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

kitsumkaLum river

On the doorstep of Terrace is the mouth of the Kitsumkalum

River (also known as the Kalum River) made world famous by its big salmon. The chinook fish-ery on this river closes in early August.

Anglers regularly catch chinook 30 to 40 pounds, with some mon-sters coming in at more than 80 pounds.

If chinook aren’t in season, you’re still in for spectacular angling. There is also excellent fishing for steelhead, dolly varden, cutthroat and bull trout. The world-class coho fishery also opens from September 1 to October 31.

In the lower stretch of the river there is

a canyon which can be difficult to pass through. Boaters should talk to a marine dealer or tackle shop about the locations to avoid.

Bar fishing is a popular tech-nique for salmon fishing, and

is something you can

do right

from shore. Medium to heavy rods and lines work best, as salmon are strong fighters. Use a weight about 3 to 5 feet from the lure and a small sized Spin-n-glo. The weight will allow the lure to rise just off the bottom. Cast out and then wait for a fish to come and strike the lure.

Backtrolling is effective if you have a boat, and a good lure to use is the HotShot. Another

common technique is simply casting a spoon from shore. Fly fishers can try spey patterns.

Remember to check your lines regularly for wear and tear, and to always have backup equipment to keep from being disappointed if a trip comes to a sudden end because of broken gear.

The Kalum River is known by two other names—Kitsumkalum and Kitsumgallum. Kitsumkalum is the river’s gazetted name and the one which appears on the map.

We remind anglers that this river and all its tributaries are Classified Waters and require

a special licence. Ask a lot of questions when heading out, read all of the regulations, and

talk to local sports shops about restrictions. Several new regula-tions are in place for 2013, and should be reviewed before your trip.

Anglers should consult both the federal and provincial regulations for all salmon openings. Please consult the updated list of clo-sures, which is available on the website at www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

RIVER ACCESS

The main access road up the Kitsumkalum River is the

Nisga’a Highway, which wraps along the eastern side of the river to the lake.

© The Angler’s Atlas

Page 32: Skeena Fishing

Page 32Skeena Fishing 2013 Free maps at www.AnglersAtlas.com

Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

kisPiox river

The Kispiox River is world famous for its steelhead, but

there are a number of other spe-cies present that make for great angling opportunities.Good sized bull trout are numer-ous in the Kispiox, and report-edly they will go after just about anything. A g o o d fly to try is a Marabou.

A M a r a b o u would work well for steelhead, too. People from all over the world come for the steelhead. These fish are well known for their fight, and many anglers report that the thrill of the chase alone is well worth the trip.The coho fishery is open until the end of September (con-sult the regulations for specif-

ic opening and closing dates each year). They can be caught with Vibrex spinners, or blue or pink Bunnies. Good flies to try would be blue or black Moons, or Intruders.For fishing coho, jigs are becom-ing quite popular. The Marabou jig can be quite lifelike, and coho will often strike from a distance to get it. Using a standard steelhead rod, anywhere from nine to ten-and-

a-half feet, cast the float and jig along the river seam

and let it float with the current.

Make sure the float is running the same

speed as the cur-rent. Free

spool the float down the seam,

with the j i g

hanging below it. Keeping most of your line out of the water helps reduce the drag.Please remember to consult the Freshwater Fishing Regulations as well as the Federal Fisheries Regulations for information before you head out. The Kispiox River is Classified Waters and special regulations apply. All salmon fisheries are only open for specific time periods and all wild steelhead are catch and release only. A number of other restrictions are in place for this river. Please consult the new regulations that have been put in place for April, 2013.To learn more helpful tips, drop by your local tackle shop and talk to the pros.

ABOUT THE RIVER

The Kispiox River runs for 160 kilometres before meet-

ing the Skeena River, just north of New Hazelton. Its a diverse system with the headwaters beginning at productive Swan Lake.

There are a lot of feeder creeks with a big variety of

fish and habitat.The river is home to all six salmon species, as well as bull trout and numerous other sport

and coarse fish popula-tions. Lamprey are also

found in the watershed.

RIVER ACCESS

From Terrace head east along Highway 16 to the town of

New Hazleton. Turn left (north) through the town, and continue to the Village of Kispiox, locat-ed at the confluence of this river and the Skeena.

There are several forestry roads that lead up the Kispiox River. The Kispiox Trail road winds along the north side of the River, with two recreation sites on the side of the road. See map for details.

Access to the northern por-tion of the watershed can be done through Highway 37, at Cranberry Junction.

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Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map may not reflect current conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia.

moriCe river

Steelhead season on the Morice River is not to be missed.

This river attracts anglers from all over the world, providing excep-tional adventure in spectacular surroundings.Try fishing dry flies with a wak-ing technique. The objective is to create a “wake”, or a "V" pattern, behind the fly for the steelhead to cue on. The trailing wake needs to be big enough so that it can be seen by the fish. In slow moving, clear water a smaller wake will work, but as the turbulence and turbidity increase, the size of the wake needs to be larger in order to be seen by feeding fish.

This works best in shady areas, or before the sun is fully up. Try fishing areas where there is a distinctive drop-off, such as around rocks. Put a bit of bend on the line and cast across on a 45 degree angle.

Keep the salmon openings in mind when you venture out, and check specific dates each year. Before heading out to fish this wild river, remember that special regulations apply to this fishery. There are two sets of regulations that must be consulted—the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations, and the

Freshwater Salmon Supplement,

produced by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. New fresh-water regulations have been put in place for April, 2013, including day and resident-specific open-ings.

ABOUT THE RIVER

The Morice River emerges from the north end of Morice

Lake, and runs for more than 80 kilometres to the confluence of

the Bulkley River, near Houston.

Five species of salmon are known to inhabit this system, includ-ing chinook, pink, chum, sockeye, coho and steelhead. While the Morice River is known for its excellent salmon fishing, it is also home to trout, including rainbow, cutthroat and dolly varden.

RIVER ACCESS

From Terrace head east along Highway 16 to the town of

Houston. Turn right (south) onto the Morice River Forest Service Road (FSR), which winds along the Morice River for nearly its entire length.There are several recreation sites located along the forestry road, and offer several locations to fish, or put in a pontoon boat. See map for general location of recreation sites.

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Waterbody Name Nearest toWN Latitude LoNgitude species # reLeased

BARRETT HOUSTON 54.45 -126.77 RB 2,500

CALL SMITHERS 54.77 -127.09 EB 1,995

CO-OP BURNS LAKE 54.18 -125.42 EB 10,000

DUNALTER HOUSTON 54.47 -126.76 CT 3,000

HELENE LAKE FRASER LAKE 54.28 -125.08 CT 2,000

KAGER BURNS LAKE 54.24 -125.7 RB 2,000

KITIMAT R KITIMAT 54.02 -128.66 ST 45,434

KLINGER HOUSTON 54.4 -126.77 EB 4,000

LU HOUSTON 54.21 -126.3 RB 2,000

ONION TERRACE 54.31 -128.54 RB 1,000

RICHMOND ENDAKO 54.14 -125.3 RB 3,000

ROSS HAZELTON 55.26 -127.52 EB 3,000

ROSS HAZELTON 55.26 -127.52 RB 3,000

ROUND QUICK 54.65 -126.93 CT 3,000

TYHEE TELKWA 54.69 -127.02 RB 20,000

VALLEE HOUSTON 54.48 -126.75 RB 2,000

WATSON CEDARVALE 54.88 -128.36 RB 1,000

2012 Skeena Trout Stocking Report

Go fishing before their childhood becomes the one that got away.

This season, share the joy and relaxation of fishing with your kids. Or introducea friend to the sport. Before you go, check out our latest stocking reports,pick up tips from the pros and learn how to get your licence at gofishbc.com

Stock Species Codes: CT = Coastal Cutthroat Trout; EB = Eastern Brook Trout; RB = Rainbow Trout; ST = Steelhead

For more information on stocking in British Columbia, visit www.GoFishBC.com

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