Kootenay Bass Fishing

I grew up in the Kootenay region of BC.  The Kootenay region is the mountainous south-east corner of BC.  Big trout lakes are what its famous for but theres also smaller, bass lakes in the southern part that hold great fish.  Duck Lake near Creston is the premier bass lake of the Kootenays.  Its approximately 3 km(2 miles) wide and 5 km(3 miles) long.  Duck Lake is shallow and weedy, with a mean depth of 2-8 feet.  In mid-summer, when the lake is choked with weeds with just intermittent clear pockets in the middle, weedless frogs and buzzbaits work best.  Bass in Duck Lake range from about 2-6 pounds on average with lunkers up to 10 pounds reported.  100 fish days are not uncommon.  Duck Lake is prone to pressure because of its size.  NOTE: Duck Lake is a bird sanctuary and no powerboats of any sort are allowed on the lake, launching boats can also be a problem, as access to the lake is limited.  Check a map before attempting.  Christina Lake about 15 minutes from Grand Forks is a terrific bass fishing lake.  Its about 20 km (12 miles) long and 1-3 km wide.  Christina Lake holds both Smallmouth and Largemouth bass, as well as decent fishing for rainbow trout, sunfish, kokanee, carp, and tiger muskie.  Smallmouth are predominant in Christina as there are many and they reach up to 6 pounds.  Look for rocky shorelines and docks to find these hard fighting fish.  The largest smallmouth of my life I pulled out of Christina.  Christina Lake is popular with tourists in the summer but can offer great fishing in spring and fall when the lake is deserted.  Wasa Lake near Cranbrook offers decent Largemouth fishing.  It is quite popular with tourists as it is one of the warmest lakes in Canada, and offers bass up to 6 pounds.  The east Kootenays are littered with bass lakes.  The town of Jaffray is basically the central point of the bass.  Lakes such as Baynes, Jim Smith, Tie, Hiawatha, and Windermere all offer good bass fishing for Largemouths.

Okanagan Bass Lakes

The Okanagan is definitely the hot spot for bass fishing in British Columbia.  With trophy lakes such as Skaha, Osoyoos and Vaseux, the south Okanagan is a can't miss bass bonanza!  Skaha Lake stretches from Penticton to Okanagan Falls, and is a terrific recreational lake.  It offers marginal trout and kokanee fishing, but Smallmouth Bass are the real main course.  Skaha Lake is deep, with rocky shorelines, docks and rock bluffs that are smallmouth magnets.  There are also a few Largemouth hanging around.  Try trolling crankbaits or fishing with grubs and tubes to pull in up to 50 fish in a day between 1 and 7 pounds.  Vaseux Lake, is synonymous with monster BC bass.  Like Duck Lake it is a Wildlife Reserve and no power boats are allowed, which makes fishing this fair-sized, deep lake an endless joy.  Try fishing the clear lagoons just off the Okanagan River Channel for great sight fishing for bass.  Be warned though, as these lagoons are closed in spawning season.  Vaseux Lake has good populations of both Largemouth and Smallmouth which grow big!  They can be quite finicky though, as there is enough pressure for the fish to be learned.  There is adequate trout and jumbo perch fishing but the real attraction of Vaseux is the massive Largemouths.  Fish up to 12 pounds have been recorded, and theres a good chance the next Canadian record could come from here.  Osoyoos Lake is the third of the big three lakes in the Okanagan River chain.  Most of Osoyoos Lake is in Canada but some is in the U.S.  The us town of Oroville, is on Osoyoos Lake.  The unique thing about Osoyoos Lake is that right smack dab in the middle of the lake is the summer town of Osoyoos, with lake shore on both sides of the strip.  Osoyoos Lake offers great bass fishing for both Largemouth and Smallmouth as well as decent fishing for sunfish, crappie, catfish, trout, perch, kokanee, and carp.  Osoyoos Lake is warm and the bass can be big.  A good idea would be to find a map of Osoyoos before fishing it.  Spots of note on Osoyoos Lake would be Salano Bay, Haynes Point, and the River Channel on the North end of the lake.  Other lakes of note in the Okanagan are Tuc-el-nuit, Gallagher, Shannon, Okanagan, and the Twin Lakes between Keremeos and Penticton.  There are also lakes for bass in the northern Okanagan worth note, just ask at Surplus Herby's in Vernon for info and bass gear.

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