Golden, BC

Photo courtesy of Angler’s Atlas member mousetrap26.

A large and deep tributary to the Columbia River, this waterbody is great for rainbow and bull trout, whitefish, and kokanee. There is no cell service on the lake, and the angler and boating traffic tends to be low.

Dave Trerice from Remote Waters, says Kinbasket Lake offers a unique and secluded fishing experience when compared to other large lakes in the area.

Bull trout is the most popular species of the lake. According to Trerice, early spring right after ice off, and late fall before the lake freezes over is the best time to target bull trout. Trerice recommends big lake trolling with a downrigger, however the lake is very versatile and can be fished a number of ways. Plugs, spinners and Bucktail flies are all popular on Kinbasket Lake.

Mitten is a popular lake in the Parson area because of its accessibility and recreation opportunities. With great fishing, swimming, and waterskiing, Mitten can get quite busy on the weekends during the warm weather months.

Stocked with Gerrard rainbow trout, anglers have a chance to catch their personal best rainbow in Mitten Lake choosing flies that imitate bait fish in brown or green. From Parson, turn south on Mitten Lake Road and follow for 14km. The road can be rough at times but is accessible by car. Mitten Lake has a dock, a boat launch, wheelchair-accessible toilets and a beach. Paid camping is available on-site.

Wilbur is a high elevation, shallow trophy lake west of Parson. There are big fish in Wilbur but catching them can be a challenge. Chironomids and leech patterns do well and if you get the timing right, you can get into a ten pound fish. There are special restrictions for Wilbur lake so make sure to consult the regulations before venturing here. From Parson, follow Crestbrook Road for 13 km to the small recreation site with a small boat launch and pit toilets at Wilbur Lake.

Cedar is a popular fishing lake close to Golden. Cedar has been stocked with Rainbow trout at various times and although it can be finicky, anglers can have success during cooler weather, in the early mornings. Spinners and spoons work well on Cedar Lake. Although there is a section of 2 km section of gravel into the rec site, access is good. Cedar is considered one of BC's Family Fishing Waters and there is currently an initiative to have a dock installed for better shore fishing.

Among a string of lakes along Bush Forest Service Road, Help Lake is a great trout fishery with structure similar to Blackwater. Although you probably won't catch a trophy in Help, you can expect a great day catching small rainbows.

Help Lake is about an hour northwest of Golden. Head north off Highway 1 on Bush Forest Service Road (formerly Big Bend Highway).

Blackwater is a great fishery, described by local guide, Dave Burns, as the smile factory. It's a great spot for those new to the sport as you are likely to get into a lot of fish in a day. Take the family out for a day catching 6-12" rainbow trout to your heart's content. Blackwater is an hour northwest of Golden on Bush Forest Service Road off of Highway 1 close to Help and Comfort Lakes.

Bittern Lake requires some persistence as it can be moody. Although it holds some large fish, tracking them down can be an adventure. If you're up to the challenge, Bittern has good access and sits among beautiful mountain views and pristine forests. From Parson, head southwest on the Spillimacheen Forest Road toward Mitten Lake, Bittern Lake is on the right <1km from Mitten.

Rocky Point is a backcountry lake with difficult access. Access to Rocky Point can be difficult depending on the time of year so extreme caution and planning is required. For the past ten years, it has been stocked annually with 2,500 pennask rainbow trout. There is a steep cartop boat launch but there’s not enough room for trailers to turn around.