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Winter Destination 2009 – Cold doesn’t stop fish frying
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009 by GetawayBC.com
Fishing doesn’t have to come to an end with the summer season, at least not in the Cariboo.
With the right equipment – an axe, line and hook will do – anglers can take advantage of the hundreds of lakes in the region that quickly turn to thick ice and offer up some fine tasting fish.
Kokanee can be found in Bridge, Deka and Sulphurous lakes (east of 100 Mile House) as well as Lac la Hache (to the north).
Rainbow trout are abundant in lakes such as Sheridan, Paddy, Christmas, Loon, Watch, Ruth and Timothy.
(Please note there are lakes in the South Cariboo with fenced-off aerator systems, and ice fishing near these is discouraged for safety reasons because the ice tends to be thin near aerators.)
Before heading out, anglers must do some homework.
They need to find out what type of vehicle is required to get to their destination lake and whether there are public access routes to a given spot. Some of the more rugged sites are four-wheel drive access only, while getting to others can make for a nice snowmobile trek.
Though anglers enjoy ice fishing, which is often an opportunity for social interaction, there are many rules and reminders to check up on before putting hook to water.
Ice should be at least six inches (15 cm) thick to walk on and 18 inches (45 cm) to drive on in a pick-up truck. The ice should be tested regularly to make sure it is thick enough.
At the end of the day, anglers should remove any trash and items they have taken onto the ice with them.
If you are inclined to build a hut, do so, but be aware that failure to remove ice fishing huts from lakes before spring breakup is an offence under the Environmental Management Act.
Anglers have to be aware of the general regulations and of those for specific lakes.
Some lakes, like Valentine or Whale,
are closed to ice fishing while others have special restrictions. Numerous lakes have special catch limits.
People can only use one line at a time and cannot leave their lines unattended. If they walk off the ice, they must remove the hook from the water.
It goes without saying that ice anglers 16 years and older require a licence to fish.
In case there are questions, people need only refer to the Sports Fishing Synopsis, which is published every year by the government of British Columbia.
Government publications are also the place to turn to when you want information on area hunting. Before venturing into the bush, read up on the rules and ensure you have proper licensing and documentation.
British Columbians value their wilderness and resources, and are proud to share them with people from around the world as long as the rules are followed.
Provincial government staff members patrol the region year-round to ensure compliance.