Fishing in the Merritt area

[Nachako]

I have some time off in between seasons in May  A friend who had just moved down to that area invited me down to do some fishing. 

He said it was non public lakes. Not to sure exactly what that means. Pay as you go ? 

He also mentioned a species call a Lard fish ?

Canoe or Belly boat  

Any info on this area would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Paul

[Dangus]

Not sure if you’re serious or not...

 

only thing close to lard fish I can think of is Gerrard. Which is a rainbow.  

However many Kamloops rainbows are lard asses.

Douglas lake ranch may be where your pay to play lakes lie. 

There is an ongoing legal battle over access to some of the lakes.  

 

[Nachako]

Thanks for that

Actually I was serious 

My friend is working for Douglas Ranch. 

Anything else about the area I am planning on spending a few days there. 

 

Paul

[Dangus]

What else would you like to know?

[monger]

There are a few lakes on the ranch that the non-paying public can't fish at. Pennask lake rainbows home lake is in the area. The water was stained with tannins at the lakes I visited. Lots of chironomid fishing. Would be helpful to figure out a fly for fish eating emerging chironomids. Caddis will stop popping if it warms enough. Fish at Hatheume had external parasites that made them leap for the sky

[danhunt]

There are a handful of lakes on the ranch that are pay to play, but the two that are best known for especially large fish are Minnie and Stoney.  I don't know how much snow they've had up there this year, but those lakes are at ~3500 feet, so depending on what part of May you're looking at you might be there after ice out, and if so hopefully after turn-over.  Scuds, leaches, dragon fly nymphs, blood worms and chronis are all usually on the menu at that time of the year.  If it were me, I'd plan on blood worms (red D-rib over red holo tinsel) and chronis (I've had luck in the clear tannin stained waters in that area with a dark olive body and chartreuse rib), with balanced leeches and boobies as plan B.  That said, I'd keep an eye on the reports on the BC board and do a little research because you may need to have some lower elevation destinations in mind as a back-up. 

[Nachako]

Thanks Dan. That’s what I was looking for. 

Paul

[professori]

He might also be talking about Corbett Lake, which is 20 minutes or so out of Merritt.  Lots of big, pellet pigs in that private lake.  Last one I caught was over 9 lb. and fought like an anchor.  Totally disappointing.  There are tons and tons of public lakes around that area, most stocked with triploid Pennask and Fraser Valleys (FVs are what I would characterize as "lard") in the 2-3 lb class and up.  Check out Pike Mountain, Tunkwa, Lundbum, Courtenay, etc.