BC Sport Fishing - Okanagan, Similkameen and Shuswap Lake, British Columbia

The Okanagan Valley
Darke Lake Provincial Park is about 20 miles (35 km) northwest of Penticton off Hwy 97 on Prairie Valley Road (12 miles of gravel road). It has a small campground (5 vehicle/tent sites), with good rainbow and brook trout fishing. In winter, the lake is the site of ice fishing and skating. From Darke Lake, it's only 2.5 miles (4 km) farther to Eneas Lakes Provincial Park, a lovely undeveloped area consisting of four lakes on a fir- and pine-forested plateau. It's 13 miles (20 km) west of Peachland; road access is limited and rough, and four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended.

Pennask Lake Provincial Park, 35 miles (56 km) northwest of Peachland off Hwy 97, is a source of much of the province's rainbow trout eggs, which are used for restocking purposes. Fishing is excellent here, and the park has a boat launch. The road in is not suitable for recreational vehicles: it's rough for 30 miles (50 km) from Peachland and then gravel into the park.

Kalamalka Lake

Kekuli Bay Provincial Park ('kekuli' refers to the semi-subterranean homes built by the Interior Salish natives), on the west side of Kalamalka Lake, 7 miles (11 km) south of Vernon, is located on a lovely bay with a sandy beach that promises to lure visitors to the park. The park offers an access road with parking lot, a campsite, and a boat launch that is deemed to be the best on Kalamalka Lake.

Wood Lake, between Okanagan Centre and Oyama on Hwy 97, has a solid reputation for its kokanee and rainbow trout fishing. The large lake sits just south of Kalamalka Lake on the east side of Hwy 97 south of Vernon.

Fishing is also good at Ellison Provincial Park on Okanagan Lake, about 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Vernon. It features a car-top boat launch about 1 mile (2 km) north of the park and a full boat-launch facility about 5 miles (8 km) north of park.

Anglers will find a cheery welcome, information on rainbow trout fishing, licence, boat rentals, bait, and tackle in Echo Lake Provincial Park, north of Lumby.

The Shuswap
As well known as steelhead are the Kamloops trout. Kamloops trout are a unique strain of trout that put on a eye-popping, acrobatic performance for fly-fishers skilled enough to hook one. These wild rainbow trout, native to central and south-central Interior regions of the province, are the prize in Niskonlith Provincial Park and Silver Beach Provincial Park, at Seymour Arm at Shuswap Lake.

The Eagle River system, which begins at Griffin Lake, has a total of five lakes along a 12-mile (20-km) stretch of Hwy 1 between Sicamous and Revelstoke. This system includes Three Valley, Victor, Clanwilliam, and Wetask Lakes, all good fishing spots for rainbow trout and easily accessed from Hwy 1.

And in Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park, angling for rainbow trout, dolly varden, and whitefish is popular, with the canyon and the river mouth being among the most productive sites. Note: The Adams River is closed to salmon fishing year-round, and in spring it's also closed to rainbow trout fishing.

Similkameen Country and Boundary Country
Fly-fishing for rainbow trout in Lightning and Strike Lakes is usually good, although the trout in these cold, nutrient-poor waters rarely exceed 2 pounds (1 kg). The Similkameen and Sumallo Rivers have dolly varden, and rainbow and cutthroat trout. Watch for good casting spots as Highway 3 runs beside both rivers on its journey through Manning Provincial Park. You will need a British Columbia angling licence if you plan to fish in the park. For information, contact the Fish and Wildlife Conservation officer at Princeton, (250) 295-6343.

Conkle Lake in Conkle Lake Provincial Park is a bit of a trek to reach, but once there you'll find good car-top-boat fishing for rainbow trout in an idyllic setting. It's so quiet here that you'd think it was a library. Located about 19 miles (30 km) west of Greenwood, the lake can be reached by three different routes. However, all three are over rough, narrow, winding roads not suitable for motor homes, low-clearance vehicles, or towed trailers. It is reached by travelling about 10 miles (16 km) west of Hwy 33 at Westbridge; 16 miles (26 km) from Hwy 3, about 4 miles (6 km) east of Bridesville; or almost 22 miles (35 km) east from Hwy 97 at Okanagan Falls.

Jewel Lake is an almost 2-mile-long (3-km) lake in the Monashees that offers great opportunities for water sports. Rainbow trout can be caught by fly-casting in summer or ice fishing in winter. There are no services or maintenance staff at Jewel Lake Provincial Park, so visitors are asked to keep the area clean for themselves and others. It's located 6 miles (10 km) north of Greenwood off Hwy 3.

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