… Official flyguys.net Northern British Columbia, BC Interior, Kamloops Area Lakes & Rivers Ice Off 2018 Fishing Reports post!
As before, please use the comments/reply section at the bottom of this post to share and discuss your 2018 fishing reports, ice off reports, 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 (just include image link in your comment 😉 )!
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And continuing from last years debut …….
Historic (& Live for 2018) BC Interior Ice Off Chart
Keep providing ice off info in the comments below and we will update the 2018 column! Big thanks to Lando, Tom & Darryl! 😀
-=> PLEASE REFER TO OUR CURRENT YEAR ICE OFF POST <=-
That’s it folks … tight lines & good times to all! 😀
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Red lake to today courtesy Jean-Luc … brrrrrr …
Less than a week of good weather would have that ice gone. I would guess it will be closer to 10 days to 2 weeks in reality.
Luv the group of rocks chucked out to check the ice. Ya agreed at about a couple weeks …
Sorry but no pic again.
I hear stump is 95% ice free
Hahahaha. I can picture it:
Trial # 1: Throw large rock…THUD!!
“Hmmmm. Must have hit the only firm spot.”
Trial # 2: Throw another large rock…THUD!!
“What are the chances…I hit the only two frozen parts…”
Trials 3-6: THUD X 4
“I should really buy a lottery ticket.”
Trial 7: THUD!!!
I am starting to think it may still be frozen.
I know I do it this way every time. If tgey ever drop the water level at six mile, they will find what they think is the remains of an old Viking burial cairn. The history books of the Kamloops area would be re-written.
Bahahahahahaha
Has anyone out there been by Gardom Lake lately ?. I’m thinking it must be iced off?
Should be close. Those Shuswap area lakes are almost always behind 6 Mile/Morgan even though they are lower in elevation.
I was just wondering is there always kind of a set time before a lake turns over after ice off or does it depend on temps ? I have read 8 to 10 days is this average. And does every lake turn over even bigger ones.? Thanks for any input
A couple relevant articles:
https://flyguys.net/fishing-information/still-water-fly-fishing/turn-over-lake-stratification-made-easy
https://flyguys.net/fishing-information/still-water-fly-fishing/brian-chan-still-water-ice-out-tactics
Take it away Art ……. :v
Great articles, thanks.
Past 2 years we fished the same small lake immediately following ice off. First time it went into turnover immediately and last year it didn’t happen. It was so hot and sunny right away we think the water temp exceeded the magic 4 deg right away and lake just missed the opportunity.
Notably, on this little jewel lake which normally produced consistently well, did not for any spring fishing last year. Maybe because the lake did not mix and oxygenate well?
I think that once they hit the magic number they all mix. The effect of that mix will vary depending on many factors, O2 levels prob the most important. So, if you have a well oxygenated lake at time of mix there will prob be little effect. Conversely in a lake with an already low O2 level (which will be concentrated in the top levels of the water column pre mix) will be spread out quite thinly when mixed through out the entire water column having, I think, a much greater (negative) effect.
Worth noting:
This 17 hectare lake took 4 days to stratisfy, start to finish, from the day of ice-off. We were there 5.
Final day we pulled some of our biggest bows ever from 8′ of water and less.
Refer to the articles that were posted for more detailed information but I would say that on average a lake will turnover within 4 to 7 days of ice off. At some lakes the turnover can happen right at ice-off; other lakes it might take 2 weeks after ice off for turnover to start. Turnover takes a few days at some lakes while others can take up to two weeks to start turnover. Large lakes are a bit of a different animal as certain parts of the lake can turnover at different times.
Wealth of information here guys. Thanks for sharing… and asking.
Been fly fishing 7 yrs now around Merritt, Princeton and Kamloops, and always learning.
Yes, different size lakes different animals for sure. Water, bugs, trout strains- so many variables.
What a great sport!
And excellent forum.
Thanks Flyguys.
…… 😀 ……
Does anyone know how the lakes near aspen grove are doing? Lundbom, courtney, kane valley etc. Theres not much snow looking at the highway cam.
Some open water on Courtney but mostly locked up. Maybe fishable by the weekend but it’s risky depending how far your travelling I guess …
I drove passed Courtney lake around lunch on my way back from stump some open water on Merritt side of the lake but boat launch and rest of the lake still froze up.Id say probably close to week .Stopped by Kidd still locked up except near the aerators which are working good.Also heard a report about lundbom and Kane valley from today saying probably still a couple weeks away?.
Sounds good, Thanks.
I’m might head up that way on the 28th.
Hopefully we get some warm weather and wind.
Anyone have an idea or educated guess about the Princeton/Summerland lakes (Chain, Link, Osprey)? Would they normally clear earlier than the Coq. lakes, say from Merritt to Kamloops?
I just drove past Courtney big patch of open water and there is almost a path to it from boat launch. Im thinking a guy could chip his way out to it ?
Hey Rob
I met you at the lake the other morning just curious if you made it back and had any luck? Thanks
Yup tried for a few hours this morning at the south end. Dead calm but didn’t see any fish rolling. Landed one tight to shore with a damsel. Throat sample … damsels … go figure lol. Some small cronies starting to pop too. Going to give it a couple days then give it another go. 🙂
Awesome thanks for the report. I think I’ll do the same?
Guessing full ice off by tomorrow 🙂
Anyone with info about partial ice off for Edith, Jacko, Pass? Unless my eyes deceive me I didn’t see Pass on the spreadsheet.
Also, is there an active thread about winterkill going yet?
Thanks!
Not sure about pass or Edith but jacko is getting close, the boat launch bay is almost ice free. There were two boats out there yesterday afternoon. Not long before the rest of the lake is off.
This is the place that winter kills will get reported. Tsotin has already been identified.
Things are happening … slowwly … but happening!
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And Barnes …
Fished Morgan Thursday (Apr 19th). Moderate success trolling micro leeches. Lake is turning over. Only thing hatching was boats. Counted 18 there and 18 more on Six Mile. CO was checking licences, great to see.
Finally in town after a long semester and I’m so excited to find some open water tomorrow! Thanks for the heads up – I was planning to go there but I guess I’ll be looking elsewhere tomorrow