Sport Fishing in the Thompson Okanagan

Fishing the Thompson Okanagan Region

Because the Okanagan lies in the rain shadow of the Coast Mountains, it doesn't get nearly as much rain as the rest of the province. From warm, somewhat dry weather in the spring, to a hot summer; cool autumns and cold, crisp winters, make up the bulk of what you can expect here. When flying over in summer or fall, you'll see a patchwork of perfectly groomed vineyards, orchards, and hayfields; sprawling stands of Ponderosa Pine, and to the north in the Thompson-Nicola valleys - sweeping sagebrush strewn cattle ranches.

Numerous lakes and rivers contain more than 20 species of game fish. Larger area lakes frequently turn up large lake char and bull trout; bright kokanee and whitefish, and the native “Kamloops” rainbow trout. Some of the more shallow southern lakes are home to bass that've been known to hit the hook hard, and perch that'll take almost any hardware or artificial plastic bait you can throw at them. The majority of these lakes maintain good boat access, with boat launch ramps and campgrounds and several with world-class or wilderness fishing resorts. Keep in mind that strewn among the easier access larger lakes, there are always smaller hike-in only spots for anglers who crave solitude while enjoying the philosopher's sport.

Owing to the popularity of vacationing and fishing in the Okanagan, the Freshwater Fisheries Society of British Columbia (FFSBC) turned out some nine million fingerlings over the last few years, to bolster fish populations in more than 900 Okanagan lakes and streams. A point of note here, fees from freshwater fishing licenses that are sold in B.C. are used to fund this restocking program.

Though the rainbow trout has fast become the sought-after game fish in BC, the FFSBC also uses native brood stocks wherever possible to stock cutthroat, kokanee, lake char, and white sturgeon. To this end, they pioneered a technology that generates sterile, non-reproducing triploid and all-female triploid fish that use most of their food energy to  grow to trophy-size instead of producing eggs. The hatcheries also generate eastern brook trout (AF3N) that fly-fishers consider a favourite.

Spring Ice-Off

Though ice-fishing along the Thompson River and on the region's many mountain lakes is a much-loved pastime for hardcore fishers, the spring “ice-off” is what really pulls sport fishers out of their woolens and into their waders. When the ice melts from the edge of the lake, and the surface water temperature rises, the water density also rises, and the water at the top sinks to the bottom, forcing colder water at the bottom, to the top. This is nature's way of oxygenating the lake. Add to the newly replenished oxygen levels, that fish are usually famished after the winter deep-freeze and will hit just about anything...

Pick up your copy of West Coast Sport Fishing Guide for detailed location information and fishing forecast reports from Daniel Wei and Suzanne Clouthier.