Well that was an awesome year but it’s time close off 2012 and move on to 2013! Thanks to everyone that contributed reports, stories & pictures last year and we’re really hoping to see even more of you on our … 2013 Fishing Reports post!
Tight lines & good times in 2013!
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Anyone go out to gardom latley? my buddy was there last weekend and said the ice was super thin could throw a rock out 30 feet n it went through was wanting to try it but its a tad far to drive from vernon just to see its still frozen
Andy,
Gardom was still frozen solid on the weekend. Sunny Shores Resort reported that the ice came off White Lake yesterday. Gardom is a couple of 100m higher than White so it might be a week off.
ahh ok cool was going to head out there today to take a look thanks for the heads up hopefully a nice week of sun will clear it out cant wait to go
Gardom is open and stocked with 5,000 catchables.
CS
Anybody heard about Kilpoola yet this year?
Thanks
CS
Kilpoola was completely open today.
CS
is morgan lake past 6 mile if coming from kamloops?
Toby,
Yes, it is just under 1.5 km past 6 Mile. As you go along the road that fronts 6 Mile you will hang a right at one boat launch and that road curves around and back down to a second boat launch area. When you get to that second boat launch go right and carry on down the road a bit and you will hit Morgan. I found it no problem and if you knew me you would know that means anyone can find it no problem. Hope that helps.
Does anyone have information on the ice at Community and Badger. Given their elevation I assume that the ice is not off. If so any idea when they might be open.
Wow, you are really getting ahead of yourself! Look for Badger to ice-off towards the end of April or early May. Community is at high elevation and I wouldn’t expect to see ice-off there until at least early May, but more likely not until close to the May long weekend.
Of course, a few days of 25 degree weather (in Kamloops, will be much cooler at the lakes) will make a huge difference to the ice-off timing.
Spent Tuesday and Wednesday of this week at the west end of Sawmill/Burnell. Quite a bit of ice still on the lake. Tuesday afternoon we caught four fish using micro leech and damsel patterns. Met Calvin from Kelowna who was slaying them in his pontoon boat who turned us on to the damsel patterns. Thanks, Calvin!
Wednesday, though, it was our turn. Caught eight fish before supper including one 5 lb and one 3 lb. Water temp had warmed somewhat, and was between 42-44F and the fish seemed hungrier. But it was after supper when the fish really seemed to turn on. Every pass around the aerator produced fish, most in the northeast corner close to the ice in 6 ft of water.
Unfortunately,it rained all Wednesday night and was still raining Thursday morning, but hubby went out and caught three more in an hour before we packed up to come home. A great three day trip! I’d definitely go back!
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P.S. Ice should be all gone by the weekend.
Thanks for sharing! Nice fish
This forum is proving more entertainment than the Canucks powerplay.
Way to go guys! Nice fish and looks like you had lots of fun too! Thanks for the report! 🙂
Hey there Flyguys,
Just wanted to start off by saying you folks are running a great website here. Keep up the great work. Anyways, I’ve recently moved up here to Kamloops from the coast and I’ve been trying for the past couple years to get my kids hooked on fly fishing. They’re rather young(7 & 9) and I know they seem to lose interest if they don’t get any bites within a few minutes. So, are there any lakes in the area that you’d recommend for a guaranteed action-filled day? Also, i realize the lakes would probably produce rather small fish, which is fine cause the kids don’t really know the difference!
Thanks for your time
SN.
I’ve come across a few lakes that are filled with hungry small fish that won’t leave your fly alone. Walloper is a great lake for kids and it has a dock. Around that same area you have Stake which has been overstocked and Helmer, and Paska which are naturally overpopulated with fish. Helmer has a small creek that runs by the camping area where you can see many fish which could keep the kids interested. Tranquille Lake is overpopulated with both trout and kokanee although it is a bit of a longer drive. Along the way to Tranquille there a a few kiddie/family lakes like Isobel and Saul although I’m not as familiar with them.
According to my fishing mapbook, Saul lake is supposed to be loaded with fish.
S.N. I think one of your best bets is Saul Lake. It is a consistent producer of small rainbows. If you make it up there fish across from the boat launch on the other side of the lake. There is a long drop off where there are tons of them, also try to east side of the lake close to the lilly pads. I have never not had a fish on while dragging something through that area!! No fish of any size really, although I did get a 14 incher out of there once. I have not fished it, but Isobel is supposed to be good for children and it is closer. Both lakes are up past the Lac Du Bois provincial Park. Hope that helps.
Saul Lake is the PERFECT lake for people that are new to fishing or haven’t caught anything in awhile and just want to feel that strike. We checked it out last summer, expecting lots of action and small fish – which was exactly what we got. Straight across from the boat launch worked but also further West on the same side was good too. We were just bait casting and they would NOT leave it alone. Make sure you go barbless. You’ll be releasing a lot of fish. We kept only the badly hooked ones and had ’em for lunch. Over the course of the day we probably caught 20 between the two of us. It even started to get annoying… 😉
The kids will love it. There’s some submerged deadfall across from the boat launch that they like to hang out at as well. Have fun!
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Now this brings back the memories! Thanks for sharing Denise!
I think the same situation happens to me.
I personally don’t mind catching nothing, cause I just like going out fishing and learning what works. But my friends(more beginner than me) are expecting to catch something like kids, they will get really bored when having a slow day.
So thanks S.N. for bringing up this topic, and everybody for this valuable information. 🙂
Check out http://www.gofishbc.com They show what lakes are stocked with catchable trout and when they get stocked. It’s perfect for the kids.
Thanks to everybody for all the replies and for sharing all of this great info! My family appreciates all of the pointers and I think we’re guaranteed to have a great year trying out all these lakes!
S.N.
S.N.,
Isobel will be a nice lake for the kids this season. The problem is that the lake usually winterkills so you will have to wait until they re-stock the lake in June before it will be worth fishing. They re-stock the lake with “catchable” rainbow trout which are about 10 inches long and unparalled in their stupidity (in other words they are usually pretty easy to catch). These fish will grow quickly as Isobel is a productive lake and you can expect those fish to double their size in just a few months.
As an added bonus, Isobel is an age-restricted fishery meaning that only those over 65 and under 16 can fish the lake so fishing pressure is generally minimal. It’s also a pretty little lake with plenty of frogs/salamanders and other critters to keep the kids entertained.
Good luck!
AV
Did the Roche lake park loop today …
Horseshoe:
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John Frank:
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Roche:
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Rose:
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Tulip:
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… nothing fishable but things are getting wet! 🙂
thanks rob. i was about to head that way to take a look, now gonna wait for a week with your pics…
🙂
Has anyone checked the any of the lakes just southeast of Merritt in the last day or so? (Lundbom, Marquart, Hamilton, Courtney, Kidd) I’m free this weekend and I’d love to hit any of those if they’re open.
I’d be very curious about this as well. Would love to hit up Kidd lake soon. I caught a beautiful 5lb trout there last summer, first time fishing the lake.
It’s been warm and rainy in Merritt the last week, I havnt checked lunbum in a week and it was still frozen all the way around
I can’t believe I only posted this two days ago. I’ve checked back about 300 times. The ice-off fishing stuff is stressful. 🙂
Hehe, I need to learn to reread my posts before I submit them on this thread. The above should read, “This” ice-off fishing stuff is stressful. I wish there was an “edit post” feature on here.
Hey Christian if you register and log in before posting I think you will have a “delete” option for all the posts you make. Try it and let me know …..
I’m logged in now, but I still don’t see any options on my posts. I also looked at my control panel and didn’t see anything there.
hmm … try clearing cache and refresh. If still no go I’ll try to get it working off line of this post and get back to you through email …
Any news on ediths ice off?
Drove by Edith yesterday (Sunday). Ice free along the edges out to about 5 feet or so in some parts. Rest of ice is black and fairly thin. I few warm nights and some sun on it during a couple of days should do it. I would expect people fishing it soon (week to 10 days max) However, that is just a guess.
Cheers,
Darryl
Thanks darryl
How is fishing at Jacko been? im planing to go there on wedneday…
Went there on Sunday and couldn’t keep them.off the chronies….lots of people out there though was almost hard to follow the swallows and the hatch with that many boats out there
Was out monday with the kids and was trolling some damsels and micro leaches. Did pretty good as well. Lots of chronies comin off as well.
any idea if it has turned over yet
looking to go on sat.
Mark I was at Jacko for the first time this year and it *appears* to be just starting to turn. The water looks murkier than I remember it last year and there some some large clumbs of vegetation floating, snail shells and various small bits of vegetation. Fishing was still nothing short of awesome one they were on chironomids (caught fish steady from 1pm-4:30 then off to work!).
I’d go there thinking there’s a good chance it’ll be turning but you never know? I ‘d guess Saturday will have a good Aluminum hatch as well.
Maybe if a regular to this lake reads this they’re be able to give you a more accurate assessment.
Hey Mark fished Jacko today and I’d say your biggest issue Saturday will not be getting into fish but getting a place to park! 🙂
The water was murky but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s in turnover – Jacko always seems to have murky water the first month after ice off.
The fishing was good in the afternoon and given the weather forecast I would bet that it will be just as good Saturday. Small black & reds when they were on chronies and leeches & damsels when they weren’t. Or even better Ask Ryan about the “Shramsel”! 😉
thnks guys
looking forward to it
Shramsel – shrimp/damsel?
I have a shreasant tail!
and a phleech!
love the hybrids
If you guys only had one lake to fish on May 1st to impress a friend with a 5lber where would you go? (Leaving from Summerland for a day trip)
Thanks
CS
I’d go to Bush Creek on Adams Lake. Either fish from your chair by the creek or get in a boat and head over to the log booms across the lake. That is my first pick.
Try Gardom Lake. There are some fish that push 5lbs after they poisened the lake and restocked it with triplods a few years back. The fishing was unreal last year.
any word on ice off timing for heffley
I heard that guys were ice-fishing it up until two days ago! With warmer weather forecast later this week and into next week look for the ice to come off at the end of April which is probably about average for Heffley.
Thanks Art I cant wait to get onto the flats
Report from Tunkwa
April 17/12
‘Ice-off’ at Tunkwa is progressing nicely, with the ice rotting consistently across the lake. We figure we should see it go sometime next week, and Leighton following that by a couple days.
Some of the larger openings in the Tunkwa ice, are just full of small chironomids hatching. At times we can see trout swirling below the surface, taking advantage of the hatch. Some opportunistic anglers are getting there first chance since ice fishing season.
Guests traveling to local lakes at lower elevation, are reporting some success, with better action on the nice weather days.
does anybody have any info on peterhope? ice off?
Yes! I would love some info on Petehopeless! Anyone?