Canim Lake is a large, deep water lake nestled along the western edge of the Cariboo Mountains. Several species of fish inhabit these waters including kokanee, rainbow trout and some giant lake trout.
Canim Lake has been stocked in the past, both with rainbow trout and kokanee. The stocking program for this lake ended in 1998, however, and the fishery in Canim Lake has been self-sustaining since then.
Fishing during the peak summer heat is usually best in deep water where the temperature is still cool. Anglers can still find some good fishing in shallow waters, but it is usually limited to the late evening and early morning, when the surface water has cooled.
Kokanee are best fished with smaller gear, and red and yellow colours seem to be standard attractor colours.
Go down deep with Lyman Lures plugs and 3 colours lead line. A gold / yellow-eyed flatfish, or a silver / blue flatfish is also popular for Canim Lake these days.
Among flyfishers, waterboatman patterns are popular in the fall, when these insects become quite active. These bugs can be a major food source for the fish.
Rainbow trout will generally feed on waterboatmen as the insects swim down the water column after visiting the surface for air. It is important to mimic this natural migration from the surface to the bottom.
Try using a waterboatman pattern with a sinking line and long leader. Cast the line out and as the line disappears under the surface it will pull the fly under the water. When this happens, start to retrieve the line using short, quick pulls trying to reproduce the swimming motion of this bug.
Reports are that fishing Canim Lake is nice well into the fall. Anglers can find some good fishing in deeper waters. As the weather cools off after the summer heat, outings can become more productive.
LAKE ACCESS
From 100 Mile House, follow Highway 97 north to Canim Lake Road and turn right (east). Follow this road for about 35 km to the south-western tip of the lake.
The road continues north along the western shore of the lake, and there is a second road--Canim Lake South, that winds along the southern shore of this lake, to Mahood Lake.
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Copyright 2011 by The Angler's Atlas
