… Official flyguys.net Northern British Columbia, BC Interior, Kamloops Area Lakes & Rivers Ice Off 2016 Fishing Reports post!
As before, please use the comments/reply section at the bottom of this post to share and discuss your 2016 fishing, ice off, and even (but hopefully not) winter kill reports. Where did you go (not mandatory)? What worked? What didn’t work? General or specific questions about a fly, a technique, or whatever … feel free to ask it here and we’ll try our best to get you an answer! Oh, and a picture is worth a thousand words so please feel free to include one if you can!
Stay up to date by utilizing the subscribe options below the comments section to be notified of any followup comments & posts via e-mail … you don’t even have to comment to subscribe & your email will be kept private!
For those that would like to share a little more than just a fishing report we encourage you to submit your story (along with images/video links/etc) & we’ll write it up in a stand alone post for ya!
And last, but definitely not least, a BIG thank you to Surplus Herby’s for stepping up yet again to sponsor our yearly fishing reports post! Be sure to stop in for all your fishing & outdoor gear needs before hitting the water this year!
That’s it folks … tight lines & good times to all! 😀
Like our stuff? Subscribe by 
Feed or 
Email .jpg)
Does anyone know if Valentine is open…or when it usually opens?
I work right close by and I am working night shifts right now. Maybe I will drive out there in the AM, right after work and have a look. It should be close, but probably not quite yet, as Bridge just came off the other day, and I think it is a little lower and obviously a lot bigger. I will try to give everyone an update on this.
Just talking to a friend I am at work with. He says Valentine is open and fishing well.
Thanks Former Kamloops Flyfisherman for the update. I haven’t fished it for a few years….heard it wasn’t so good last year…but want to try it again.
No problem Doug. Glad to help out! I think that is what this site is all about! Rob and the boys do a great job! By the way, bloodworms have apparently been the ticket so far.
How does gump look, ice off?
The road to Gump is usually snowed in and i have hit the lake right at ice off and got skunked with no activity. Gump is a great summer lake. Sedge hatches.
Does Roche seem to be a couple of weeks ahead of usual this year? Early Warming and all that?
Yes the ice usually won’t come off until late april even early may, this year and last are early by all means.
Hi all:
I’m taking a buddy from the coast up to the Merritt area on Saturday and am hoping for a status update if possible. As much as I would love to drag his ass to Roche Or Tunkwa, it was tough enough to convince him to go past Hope.
– best bet (which lake) to get him into some fish? He’s pretty much a rookie.
– any idea if the Kane valley is ice-free? Have those ones turned?
– turnover status of Corbet? Kentucky? Alleyne? Others in the area?
Thanks in advance.
You have to pay to fish corbett lake, and I think it’s on the pricy side. If I were you I’d go to tunkwa or Leighton. Not that much further to drive.
Thanks Lance39. I actually meant Courtney but the fingers went to the wrong lake. Not a fan of pay for play lakes.
Arkaydee, Other than the wind forecast looking blustery for this weekend Tunkwa a way better option than Leighton .. Fished both last weekend and Tunkwa stomach pumps showed that the Chronie stew was already simmering .. On the small side but that’s always how it starts .. one fish had over 20 chronies in size 16-20 in 5 different colors and green blood worms .. Tunkwa is shallow and warms up quickly Leighton came off a week later and was VERY SLOW … Focus on Tunkwa if its not blowing would be my plan! if not go lower no higher for the rookie IMO …
The closest most productive interior Lake from Hope would be Gwen Lake right before you get into Merritt. Comstock road turn off. The road into Gwen is isually snowed i. But it might be accessible by now and if it is… Your in for some fun fishing. Anchor off from shore about 40 feet and cast to the sunken boat near the old fence on oposite side of the lake from the west end of the lake with a Brian Chan Summer Duck chronomid to start. Size 12 Micro leeches with gold bead and silver tinsel fr guaranteed resonse. wIndicator at 6′. Good luck.
If you want to stay near Merritt, we would suggest also Lunbom or Marquart….otherwise totally agree about Tunkwa…great fishing! Good luck!
Whoops! Lundbom!
Does anyone have any info on pererhope or any meritt area lakes? heading up tomorrow night and looking to catch a few fish on Saturday before heading back home on sunday
Tunkwa sounds like the place to be. Water getting clearer and warmer
Shay,
If your going to go to Peter Hopeless … Go try your lick at Little Peter Hope as some of the big lunkers get ice locked and in the spring it can be very productive. Its a cool place to camp as well.
Was lots of dead fish on the bottom of Little Pete a couple weeks ago…lots of tiddlers caught…looks like it didn’t do so well this winter.
Was at peterhope last weekend and the fishing was good. Nothing big though. Hatches of chronic a were coming off in the hot weather
Fished Plateau, and it was sloooooooow.
Hey all,
Going to be in Cherryville this weekend, any suggestions on a nearby lake (that are ice free) or river where I can cast a fly and hopefully get into some fish? I do have a belly boat for hike in lakes, and a flat bottom if its boat accessible. Also open to river fishing from shore. Thanks.
Sugar lake is fantastic. I make time to fish it on weekends when I’m working out that way
Do you ever fly fish it or mostly just trolling? I’ve never fished it before so i’m open to suggestions as to where/how to fish it
I only troll it. But guys do good fly fishing. The whole lake is good.
Rainbows, bull trout, big lake white fish and coarse fish
Haven’t been for awhile but for smaller lake suggest Keefer and Holmes……there is also a resort at Keefer you could phone re ice off, etc…….good luck!
1453 m. Paska Lake Ice-Off April 18, 2016
1462 m. Face Lake Ice-Off April 23, 2016 (probably?)
Has anyone fished Pass Lake recently? How is the fishing…..
I have a few questions maybe some people can help me out with…Has there been any decent chironomid hatches starting at Edith yet? Has Rossmoore iced off yet? and how rough is the road into Hosli from Bleeker?
Chironomids were coming of at Edith today and fishing was steady until the thunderstorms rolled in.
Thank you Drock31 much appreciated… now if someone out there is nice enough just to help me out on the other 2 questions that would be very helpful.
I was in last night. The road is rough (4WD for sure), but that’s not keeping the crowd light!!Fishing yesterday and today was reported to the terrible.
I can’t help you with Rossmoore, although I believe it should be ice off. The road into hosli is rough with lots of holes and ruts. Dry it’s not too much of an issue but when wet you usually end up in them no matter what so a 4×4 with some clearance is a real good idea.
Big Thanks Guys, really appreciate the responses. Maybe I’ll wait for some dryer weather just to be on the safe side until I know what I’m up against.
Has anyone fished gump? Also how’s morgan been? Been fishing logan lake doing well on chrome red rib.. 23 fish yesterday through the rain
Logan lake bw
any reports on plateau? coming from the coast tryna figure where to head tomo and monday. was going to check marquart but its supposed to be cold and windy according to the weather report.
Was there this weekend. Wind kept us off the water for the majority of the weekend but the few hours we were out were slow. Only two small fish to the boat (<14″) No one else was finding it much better.
Couple buddies fished a favourite near Chase yesterday. Despite the unsettled weather, they all had honest 20+ fish days. The were fishing the #22’s and #24’s we tied up this winter on Tiemco 2488’s specifically for this lake. Lots of FV’s and a few Pennasks in the 3-6lb range with a few bigger fish broken off. I’d get shot if I posted any lake pics. As you mentioned way back Rob, it’s not rocket science with a GPS, Forestry map and stocking info 🙂 The boys did say I could post a shot of the #22 Black & Silver chironomid they were fishing in 25-30′ of water.
Awesome! I edited the picture (the full size one that comes up when you click on the thumbnail) to better show the fly. Amazing how small them fish will focus on/target! Thanks for sharing! 😀
Nice work Rob! I had no clue how to delete the double post earlier or zoom in on the fly. The fly is pretty simple but works great if you are tying size 20 or smaller. We just colour the hook shank with a black Sharpie or craft store felt pen and then form a small butt to start the ribbing and go from there. One drop of white acrylic paint on the head for the gills and Loon thin UV cement over the entire body. Hit it with the UV light when you have a taper your happy with. We use a metalic silver felt pen and 8/0 red thread for our chromie. Works awesome for sizes between 20 and 28. Easy to keep thin with nice proportions and super durable. That fly in the picture caught over 10 fish before the silver tag started to slide down. We’ve all fished sub size 20’s deeper than 35′ with great success. Like you said, amazing the fish can even key in on the little buggers! For a wire rib you don’t tie in the wire. You use the small tag as a starting point and tuck the cut end back against the tag tightly. The lack of thread keeps everything nice and thin.
Tight lines,
Chris
Anyone know how the water clarity is at Roche and bleeker
I’d give it another 10 days until prime time
Calling Lake – does anyone know if its iced off yet? And if so, Hows the road in?
A buddy was at his cabin at pimainus which is close by and said it was open 10-15ft around the edges. So should be soon. Not sure about the road through the mine tho.
Thanks Lance! I appreciate the info!
I was there a couple times last year. There is a new road off to the right jest after the Dam maintenance yard, Lily Lake road, or something close to that. ( Old Timers is setting in). Road was good – much better than the old way.