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Let's Talk Fishn'  

Osoyoos Lake: Spring Trout Fishery

One underrated Rainbow Trout fishery in the Okanagan, especially during April, is Osoyoos Lake. This lake is not only home to Rainbow Trout, but it is also home to Sockeye Fry. These fry will stay in the lake until they are approximately one year old; they then make their run downstream towards the ocean. These fry tend to be a good forage fish for the bigger rainbows. This is why using lures or flies that imitate a sockeye fry can be so effective on this lake.

Osoyoos Lake also has Kokanee that reside in the lake which is another forage fish for big Rainbows. Trolling Lyman Plugs mimicking Kokanee can put the odds in your favour. Good colour patterns in the early season are white/blue, white/green, and black with speckles. The old wise tail using light colours on bright days and dark colours during cloudy days proves well on this lake. Plugs between 2 to 4 inches work well. If one size isn’t producing then switch the size of your presentation first before changing colours. Apex lures can also generate good results on Osoyoos Lake. Again sizes between 2 – 4 inches work the best. Good Apex colours patterns are watermelon, purple/blue rainbow, solid blue and black/white.

In the early spring Trout can also be found in the shallow ledges of this lake. The North East side of the lake near Inkaneep Creek and the mouth of the Okanagan River can hold fish feeding on fry and other aquatic food sources. Trolling a sinking fly line with a fry pattern or a plug near the surface can work well in these areas. If you observe on your sonar fish hugging the bottom there is a good chance that these are Bass, not trout. The Bass normally won’t start to make their way up into the shallower water until the water temp reaches over 50F.

As freshet starts to make its way into the north end of the lake it can make the water clarity very limited. During this time the fishing does start to slow down and the use of flashers or dodgers will help attract the fish. In cloudier water conditions darker colour of lures such as blues or purples helps the contrast of the lure stand out for the fish to target in on. The Rainbow Trout fishing can be good all the way into June, but as the water warms up the trout will descend to find the cooler water and dissolved oxygen layers.

One of the great benefits of Osoyoos Lake is that this lake provides an excellent opportunity to get out onto the open water early in the season. This lake is known to get windy so always check the weather forecast before heading out and of course dress in layers.

This amazing fishery is a gem of the Okanagan and should be on everyone’s list of lakes to MUST fish! For more information about fishing Osoyoos Lake please visit www.BCFishn.com or feel free to contact me!

 

Tight lines & please take a youth fishing!

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.



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About the Author

Danny Coyne is the co-founder of BCFishn.com; a local fishing website dedicated to promoting the sport of angling with conservation in mind. Danny has been an avid angler since his early childhood and grew up with a fishn’ rod in hand. He is passionate about promoting ethical angling practices and stewardship of our natural resources; which is why he volunteers with local conservation organizations. Danny’s volunteer positions include Co-Chair of the Fisheries Committee of the BCWF Region 8, Director of the Oceola Fish & Game Club, and Director of the Okanagan Fisheries Foundation. Danny believes that every one of all ages can share in the sport of fishing to enjoy the experiences and lessons that the great outdoors has to offer!

Website Link: www.BCFishn.com

Contact Email Address: [email protected]



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The views expressed are strictly those of the author and not necessarily those of Castanet. Castanet does not warrant the contents.

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