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The Nicola Valley/Coquihalla Highway
A lake a day as long as you stay' is no idle boast for the Nicola Valley. Close to 50 percent of the province's total freshwater sportfishing occurs in the Thompson-Nicola region. Relative to its size, this region is unsurpassed in British Columbia for its sports fishery. The Thompson and Nicola Rivers are historic salmon-spawning tributaries of the Fraser River, and the smaller tributary streams are where rainbow trout, dolly varden, and kokanee lay their eggs. It's the lakes, however, that are the main attraction for anglers.

There are few fishing runs as legendary - or as threatened - as the steelhead run on the Thompson River and one of its main tributaries, the Nicola River. Steelhead are an oceangoing species of trout (or salmon, depending on whom you consult) famous for their size, speed, stamina, and tremendous strength. In order to surmount obstacles in the Fraser Canyon before entering the Thompson near Lytton, steelhead must possess all these characteristics.

Chapperon, Douglas, and Nicola Lakes have long been noted for their ample fish stocks. Nicola Lake, renowned for its depth, is said to harbour 26 varieties of fish, some weighing up to 20 pounds (9 kg). Nicola Lake is the easiest to reach and is located about 4 miles (7 km) east of Merritt on Hwy 5A. Use the boat launch at Monck Provincial Park for access to the big lake. Douglas and Chapperon Lakes are located about 12 miles (20 km) and 18.5 miles (30 km), respectively, east of Hwy 5A on the Douglas Lake Road. Angling is the most popular form of sportfishing in the Nicola area lakes, but ice fishing, spear fishing, and set-lines methods are also used.

In fall, anglers head for two places in particular: Goldpan Provincial Park, located on the Thompson River, and Spences Bridge, located on Hwy 8, about 0.6 mile (1 km) west of Hwy 1, 23 miles (37 km) north of Lytton. Anglers can readily access both the Thompson and the Nicola Rivers from Spences Bridge. For information on steelhead fishing regulations, contact the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Officer in Kamloops, (250) 374-9117.

Good river access for fishing makes the Coquihalla River Provincial Recreation Area a popular spot. However, there are spawning channels alongside the Coquihalla River in
the vicinity of this park, so be sure to get the newest fishing regulations. This recreation area, located 15.5 miles (25 km) northeast of Hope on Hwy 5, was closed to private vehicles in early 1998, but fishers can reach it by parking nearby and walking in. Southbound highway traffic will find it easy to reach the park (via the Carolin Mines exit before the tollbooths). Northbound traffic should take Othello Rd from Hope to the Dewdney Creek intersection, then a sharp right turn onto the park access road. Leave your vehicle here.

Coldwater River Provincial Park is just north of the summit on the Coquihalla Hwy. Nearby are the Coquihalla Lakes, where both the Coquihalla and Coldwater Rivers have their sources. The Coldwater River runs north alongside the highway. It is shallow and gravel-bottomed, a good steelhead spawning area. There is a small Forest Service campsite at Zum Peak beside the river. Follow Zum Peak Forest Rd for 5 miles (8 km) west from the park to reach the Zum Peak campsite. Coldwater River Provincial Park is located 31 miles (50 km) south of Merritt on Hwy 5, just north of the tollbooths, with north and south access ramps.

The waters of Lac Le Jeune in Lac Le Juene Provincial Park are famous for producing fighting rainbow trout. Fly-fishing is also possible in the Stake-McConnell Lakes Provincial Recreation Area - McConnell Lake Provincial Park.