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Vicinity hires president,
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Munn talks cancer battle
The long winter has ended and spring is finally here! Some of the higher lakes are still ice fishing well; however most anglers are eager to get out on the open water to cast their lines for the first time.
The early spring time offers some of the best fishing of the year. Within the BC Interior anglers have many options to try their luck on the open water. As the ice opens up on the smaller lakes the first week prior to lake turnover this is prime time to pursue hungry trout. During this period fishing shorelines and shoals is key to locating fish. Since the water is still too cold for any insect hatches the trout will be feeding mainly on leeches, scuds and shrimp. If fly fishing is your method of choice then one would be wise to mimic these patterns within 3 to 10 feet of water. For gear anglers slow trolling or casting the shoals with spinners and spoons can work well too!
The larger lakes within the interior also produce well at this time of year. Lakes such as Mabel and Shuswap Lake can be successfully fished without the use of a large boat. Fly anglers can experience good fish days by trolling leech patterns along the shoal lines or by fishing chironomids as there are early season hatches occurring in the larger lakes. Gear techniques such as trolling small plugs or apex lures can produce well. If you are shore fishing with a spinning rod try your luck bottom fishing with a 3/4 ounce weight on your main line positioned on the floor of the lake and float your baited hook up off the bottom. The use of small bait marshmallows and corkies along your 3 to 5 foot leader will help suspend your presentation.
Rivers in the BC Interior provide excellent fishing opportunity prior to high water. Swinging leeches or fishing nymphs on a fly rod can bring good results for Rainbow Trout. Small spoons such as Gibbs Crocs and spinners like Panther Martins can provide successful hook ups for anglers fishing with gear. Be sure to always check the fishing regulations when fishing rivers in the spring time as some rivers have spring closure in effect.
Some great early spring fishing spots to consider within the Okanagan & Thompson Regions are Shannon Lake, Swan Lake, Vaseux Lake, Mabel Lake, Shuswap Lake, Thompson River, Kettle River, Okanagan River and Similkameen River.
For more information on how to fish these methods please visit or contact us at BCFishn.com. Or stop by and see our friends at Trout Water Fly and Tackle in Kelowna as they have always pointed me in the right direction.
Tight lines & Conserve our Waters!
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
