"Rose Valley Lake is a short drive west of Kelowna offering excellent rainbow trout fishing during spring and autumn.

For fly fishers, a 52 Buick is one of the better patterns to use, says Savas Koutsantonis of Trout Waters Fly and Tackle, adding that chironomids in spring and summer are productive.

Rose Valley Lake is a great family fishing lake. It is walk-in access only, however the walk is an easy 10 minutes. Koutstantonis says that the shore fishing is excellent, a great place for kids to cast a line. A popular technique is a simple worm and bobber in spring and fall.

As the summer progresses, you have to go out into deeper water to catch rainbow trout because weed growth develops around the shoreline and the surface water warms up.

Koutsantonis advises readers that there is an unmarked island not shown on the map. He says it is about half way up the lake, near the 15m marker. Also, the island shown near the north end of the lake is now submerged. He suggests that this is a great place to target the trout.

The lake has been stocked with rainbow trout nearly every year since 1960. The dominant strains released into the lake are Pennask rainbow trout, but have also included Blackwater, Beaver, Tunkwa and Knouff strains.

The shop pros at Trout Waters Fly and Tackle are very knowledgeable about the local fishing lakes. For more tips on fishing this lake, drop by and talk to Savas Koutsantonis and the staff.

LAKE ACCESS

Please note that there is no access to the lake from the north end. These are private properties and there is no on-street parking. Please respect private property, fences, gates and signage.

No vehicles are permitted as this is the terminal reservoir for the Lakeview Irrigation District that supplies this water to over 12,000 residents. Access is only by walking over 2.5 km along a private access road.

Please consult your local tackle shop for the best ways to access Rose Valley Lake.

There are no facilities on the lake and you need to hike in a belly boat or pontoon boat from the parking lot. "