Kamloops lakes

[Fincat]

The ice must almost be off the lakes in the interior with the temperature being what it is!! I hear guys where fishing Kamloops lake on the week end in their boat and did quite well. Anybody know how the lakes around Meritt are doing?

[johnk]

Awesome! Big chironomid hatch on Marquart today. Unfortunately it was an incomplete metamorphisis....egg to larva....larva to pupa.....pupa to......BONK.....ouch!
Ok, I'm just messin' with ya. The Interior lakes still have 12-18" of ice with Kamloops Lake being the exception as some winters it doesn't freeze at all. Be patient, another month and a half if we're lucky.

[Fincat]

Thanks for that. My flys are just trying to get out of the box and hook some of them big RAINBOWS. It would great if the ice was off at the beginning of April.

[johnk]

You should be guaranteed to fish somewhere in the Merritt region by April 1st. Stump would be my first choice. Nicola, Morgan, Six Mile and perhaps Marquart should all be ice free. By the way, on Stump and Nicola, when that sweet little spring breeze cools the back of your neck at 11:30am, you best be off the water within an hour!

[Fincat]

I quess that Marquart and Kump will be a little later or do they clear about the same time?

[chalupa]

I quess that Marquart and Kump will be a little later or do they clear about the same time?

Kamloops lk.-1100ft el
White lk.-1545ft el Nicola lk.-2050ft el Stump lk. 2438ft el. With the exception of White, all are large lakes that are exposed to the elements and typically ice off rapidly once the thaw starts, assuming that they froze in the first place. Morgan @1977ft el, Pat @ 1988ft el, Barnes @ 2238ft el and other lakes around this elevation are small and more protected from the weather therefore ice off a bit later, but barring a late freeze, not by very much. Lundbolm-3684ft, Marquart-3720ft, Kump-3717ft. and the lakes in the Kane valley are about the same el. Tunkwa, Leighton, the list goes on. If Johnks' ice depth estimate is correct, then it is less than half of last years measurements at this time. I booked my time off for April and May instead of May and June this year. Unless we get a late blast of winter I could see ice-off being at least a month early. I remember that happening in the late 80s or early 90s They made an ammendment to the regs to allow fishing on lakes that didn't normally open till May 1st. that year. I believe Tunkwa was already fishable the last couple days of March! El nino year? I'd bet that it was much like this year. June is going to fish like August this year so git yer yeah yeahs out early! Chalupa

[Fincat]

I think you are right about ice being off early. I have planned me trip up last 2 week in April and first 2 in May. I can't beleive that we are going to get a winter up there from here on in.