Help with inner BC fishing in September

[Battery]

Got a week off the first week of Sept and a couple buddies and I want to head into BC and do some fishing. We want to target Bass and unfortunately we can only fish from shore. We are also looking for lakes that offer tent camping within 5-10 minute drive or so. We are thinking either Duck Lake or Windermere, however, with the size of Windermere, I'm thinking we might have some issues without a boat. Any ideas?. Would like to keep it within a 4-5 hour drive of Calgary.

[Russ C]

Try Wasa lake, campground right there and from the beach area at the campground you can wade right out to a weed bed to fish.

[Kurt505]

Too bad you couldn't get even a dingy or something, banes lake is loaded with bass, I've literally caught over 100 in a day. Was a is another good choice for shore fishing, I've caught them off the dock by the boat launch on the west side of the lake too. Windermere is a little tougher to fish from shore. On a bright note, Wasa is supposed to be the warmest lake in BC or something so maybe just grab a life jacket and walk the shoreline and float out if you have to get around certain areas.

[Mackinaw]

There is a few spots on Tie lake that is ok for shore fishing ....Suzanna lake is ok with a little bushwacking.......Baynes lake is also good.....Surveyors and Engineers would probably be the best can walk right around the lake ideal shore fishing and they are in a campground.there are other small lakes around. Duck can be a hard lake to shore fish at times the outflow at south end is always good.

Mack

[Kurt505]

There is a few spots on Tie lake that is ok for shore fishing ....Suzanna lake is ok with a little bushwacking.......Baynes lake is also good.....Surveyors and Engineers would probably be the best can walk right around the lake ideal shore fishing and they are in a campground.there are other small lakes around.

Mack

Baynes, that's how you spell it. Surveyor I think has a bigger average bass, but baynes is loaded with them. Koocanusa has a great provincial campground, that's the one Surveyor lake is in.

I'm still waiting for your bass pics Mack.

[Mackinaw]

Baynes, that's how you spell it. Surveyor I think has a bigger average bass, but baynes is loaded with them. Koocanusa has a great provincial campground, that's the one Surveyor lake is in.

I'm still waiting for your bass pics Mack.

Koocanusa is a real nice camp area took a run through while we were there.
Will try to get pics up in day or two have to set up a photo account or something I guess

Almost forgot Jimmy Smith lake it is an easy to shore fish lake have never had good luck there myself but others say it is good .....camping there too I believe.

Mack

[Russ C]

109727 for some reason the picture comes out sideways but you get the idea of the size of bass in Wasa.

[Battery]

Thanks guys! Wasa is a new one to me, I have been reading online and haven't seen that name come up yet! Looks like that would be an awesome place as its close to Calgary, has shore fishing and camping. This is why I love this forum!

[Mackinaw]

Thanks guys! Wasa is a new one to me, I have been reading online and haven't seen that name come up yet! Looks like that would be an awesome place as its close to Calgary, has shore fishing and camping. This is why I love this forum!

Wasa is a nice lake it is very small but has HEAVY boat traffic as in powerboats skiers...seasons and wake boats two weeks ago there was an estimated 400 boats at the lake you must fish very early for a short time. Wasa was on my list to fish again this year but I changed my mind . Where ever you pick have a great time..the other lakes mentioned are all with in an hour of wasa duck is a little farther.

Mack

[Battery]

Wasa is a nice lake it is very small but has HEAVY boat traffic as in powerboats skiers...seasons and wake boats two weeks ago there was an estimated 400 boats at the lake you must fish very early for a short time. Wasa was on my list to fish again this year but I changed my mind . Where ever you pick have a great time..the other lakes mentioned are all with in an hour of wasa duck is a little farther.

Mack

Might have to camp at Wasa and head out in the morning then move to a different lake after that. Thanks for the heads up!

[MTB_FlyFisher]

I'd gotten the following list from these forums a while ago.

No idea how up to date it is, and haven't personally fished for them so am unaware how accurate it is either. Either way, here's a list of waters in BC and what you can (apparently) catch 'em:

Fraser Valley:
Mill Lake - Abbotsford B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Hatzic Lake - Mission B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Chadsey Lake - Abbotsford, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Sturgeon Slough - Pitt Meadows, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Brunette River - Coquitlam, B.C. - (rumored) Largemouth Bass
Judson Lake - Abbotsford, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Pepin Creek - Abbotsford, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
N. Alouette River - Pitt Meadows, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Fish Trap Creek - Abbotsford, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Glochester Ponds - Aldergrove, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
West Creek - Langley, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Salmon River - Fort Langley, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Kawkawa Lake - Hope, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass (few)
Albert Dyck Park - Abbotsford, B.C. - Largemouth Bass

Okanagan:
Osoyoos Lake - near town of Osoyoos, B.C. - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Skaha Lake - near Penticton and Okanagan Falls, B.C. - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Vaseux Lake - S. of Okanagan Falls, B.C. - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Deadman Lake - N. of Osoyoos, B.C. - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Okanagan River - From Okanagan Lake to Osoyoos Lake - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass

Kootenays:
Duck Lake - North of Creston, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Christina Lake - 22 km. E. of Grand Forks, B.C. - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Kootenay Lake Flats - S. end of lake near Creston, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Summit Creek (slough) - W. of Creston, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Jim Smith Lake - 7 km. SW. of Cranbrook, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Baynes Lake - 11 km. SW. of Elko, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Tie Lake - N. of Jaffray, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass

Vancouver Island:
Diver Lake - Near Hwy 19, 7 km. N. of Nanaimo, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Long Lake - 16 km. NW. of Nanaimo, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Quennell Lake - 7 km. SE. of Cedar, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Shawnigan Lake - 50 km. N. of Victoria, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Elk and Beaver Lakes - 13 km. N. of Victoria, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Prospect Lake - 18 km. N. of Victoria, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Glen Lake - W. of Victoria, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Holden Lake - SE. of Hwy 1 near Cedar, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Langford Lake - NW. of Victoria, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Matheson Lake - SW. of Victoria, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Spider Lake - S. of Dunsmuir, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Young Lake - NW. of Sooke, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass

Saltspring Island:
St. Mary Lake - near Vesuvius harbor, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Cusheon Lake - near Fulford harbor, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass

Washington State:
Whatcom Lake - E. of Bellingham, U.S.A. - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Samish Lake - S. of Bellingham along #5 - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Terrell Lake - W. of Ferndale, U.S.A. - Largemouth Bass
Wiser Lake - Along the Guide Meridian S. of Linden, U.S.A. - Largemouth Bass

[Mackinaw]

I'd gotten the following list from these forums a while ago.

No idea how up to date it is, and haven't personally fished for them so am unaware how accurate it is either. Either way, here's a list of waters in BC and what you can (apparently) catch 'em:

Fraser Valley:
Mill Lake - Abbotsford B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Hatzic Lake - Mission B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Chadsey Lake - Abbotsford, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Sturgeon Slough - Pitt Meadows, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Brunette River - Coquitlam, B.C. - (rumored) Largemouth Bass
Judson Lake - Abbotsford, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Pepin Creek - Abbotsford, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
N. Alouette River - Pitt Meadows, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Fish Trap Creek - Abbotsford, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Glochester Ponds - Aldergrove, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
West Creek - Langley, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Salmon River - Fort Langley, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Kawkawa Lake - Hope, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass (few)
Albert Dyck Park - Abbotsford, B.C. - Largemouth Bass

Okanagan:
Osoyoos Lake - near town of Osoyoos, B.C. - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Skaha Lake - near Penticton and Okanagan Falls, B.C. - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Vaseux Lake - S. of Okanagan Falls, B.C. - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Deadman Lake - N. of Osoyoos, B.C. - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Okanagan River - From Okanagan Lake to Osoyoos Lake - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass

Kootenays:
Duck Lake - North of Creston, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Christina Lake - 22 km. E. of Grand Forks, B.C. - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Kootenay Lake Flats - S. end of lake near Creston, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Summit Creek (slough) - W. of Creston, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Jim Smith Lake - 7 km. SW. of Cranbrook, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Baynes Lake - 11 km. SW. of Elko, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Tie Lake - N. of Jaffray, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass

Vancouver Island:
Diver Lake - Near Hwy 19, 7 km. N. of Nanaimo, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Long Lake - 16 km. NW. of Nanaimo, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Quennell Lake - 7 km. SE. of Cedar, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Shawnigan Lake - 50 km. N. of Victoria, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Elk and Beaver Lakes - 13 km. N. of Victoria, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Prospect Lake - 18 km. N. of Victoria, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Glen Lake - W. of Victoria, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Holden Lake - SE. of Hwy 1 near Cedar, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Langford Lake - NW. of Victoria, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Matheson Lake - SW. of Victoria, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Spider Lake - S. of Dunsmuir, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Young Lake - NW. of Sooke, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass

Saltspring Island:
St. Mary Lake - near Vesuvius harbor, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass
Cusheon Lake - near Fulford harbor, B.C. - Smallmouth Bass

Washington State:
Whatcom Lake - E. of Bellingham, U.S.A. - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Samish Lake - S. of Bellingham along #5 - Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Terrell Lake - W. of Ferndale, U.S.A. - Largemouth Bass
Wiser Lake - Along the Guide Meridian S. of Linden, U.S.A. - Largemouth Bass


Good list not sure of all the others but Tie has largemouth not smallmouth

Mack

[Russ C]

Wasa is a nice lake it is very small but has HEAVY boat traffic as in powerboats skiers...seasons and wake boats two weeks ago there was an estimated 400 boats at the lake you must fish very early for a short time. Wasa was on my list to fish again this year but I changed my mind . Where ever you pick have a great time..the other lakes mentioned are all with in an hour of wasa duck is a little farther.

Mack
I was there last week, the boat traffic was really not that bad. I would say that at the times I fished (mid afternoon to sundown) there were only 3-4 boats and 2 jet skis on the water. Mind you they have no respect for anglers in small craft. But I find that is on most lakes anywhere in Canada.

[Mackinaw]

Baynes, that's how you spell it. Surveyor I think has a bigger average bass, but baynes is loaded with them. Koocanusa has a great provincial campground, that's the one Surveyor lake is in.

I'm still waiting for your bass pics Mack.

Tried to do pics from phone but not smart enough I guess will try from computer when out of shop. Old men and new stuff don't get along lol

Mack