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  #1  
Old 03-01-2017, 12:41 AM
Aqr8 Aqr8 is offline
 
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Default Help with Kinbasket Lake, BC

Did my first few trips to Kinbasket Lake, BC in 2016. An abundance of Beautiful crown land. The lake is enormous. Lot's of opportunity for adventure. Caught a few Kokanees and no luck with other fish, but i've seen pics of guys hauling out some phenomenal size trouts.

Planning to head out there again numerous time this Summer, camping/fishing partners welcome

Has anyone been out to Kinbasket and can share a few pointers on fishing this huge lake?
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  #2  
Old 03-01-2017, 07:47 AM
slamilton slamilton is offline
 
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I went once last summer and didnt do very well either. Caught a couple small rainbows and wife hooked into a very large one but didnt get it close enough to see what it was. Great spot though which more than makes up for slow fishing.
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  #3  
Old 03-01-2017, 08:07 AM
wildwoods wildwoods is offline
 
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It all depends on your set up. I've learned that trout are trout. Lakers will be deep in summer as will rainbows. Lakers deepest. Are you using downriggers?
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  #4  
Old 03-01-2017, 12:17 PM
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billycap billycap is offline
 
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Kinbasket is pretty tough fishing compared with other bc lakes. Bc hydro drains the lake as much as100ft each year killing off most all the plant life. Catching rainbows larger than 5lbs and kokanee more than 1lb is rare. Some decent sized burbot and bull trout can be had once in awhile. There are no lake trout in kinbasket. I have fished this lake hundreds of times and if you want big fish come in april and do some c&r for big bulls. Rainbows and kokanee dissappear in early winter and dont return until late spring. High summer makes for good camping and plentiful small kokanee but the more the lake fills the more the fish population becomes diluted. In short kinbasket offers opportunities that cant be had at other bc lakes but the fishing is NOT great compared to other water within a couple of hours drive. I honestly have tried many fishing methods from trolling to bait and sinker and my best luck is still had walking the shore with a large five of diamonds. I catch more fish walking the shore than out of a boat almost every time except for summer kokanee. As kinbasket is just a flooded mountain valley down rigging is risky the depth changes unnaturally and the bottom still has huge old growth forest in spots. Which brings me to my other fav spring kinbasket hobby.... collecting snagged tackle during low water. So if you happen to lose some high end gear on the north end of the lake in less than 100 fow there is a chance it will end up in my tackle box.
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  #5  
Old 03-01-2017, 12:22 PM
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Albertadiver Albertadiver is online now
 
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Always been intrigued by this place. How is it for trailer camping?
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  #6  
Old 03-01-2017, 01:09 PM
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billycap billycap is offline
 
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I only know the valemount area. Just depends on the size of the trailer. For large trailers i would not go past the marina. The road is one lane and they are hauling logs again.. the great trailer camping lakeside is best done late summer. The lake is full and you dont have to bag your trailer to get a quiet lakefront camping spot. The spring missions are unfortunately all about the tent and 12ft tinner. You suffer cold nights for better fishing and exceptional rock hounding.
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  #7  
Old 03-01-2017, 01:11 PM
Newview01 Newview01 is offline
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Went a couple years ago. Boated out to where a stream entered the lake. Every third or fourth cast caught something.
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  #8  
Old 03-01-2017, 01:27 PM
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billycap billycap is offline
 
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I know on the north arm of kinbasket has different fishing regulations than the south. In the north end you must be very careful when you fish a tributary. You can only fish creek mouths when or if that creek is open.
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  #9  
Old 03-01-2017, 11:13 PM
Aqr8 Aqr8 is offline
 
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Didn't have the cash to buy down riggers so I tried dropping the jigs as deep as I could and worked them.
Trawled really slow and got a good bite, fought it for 20 seconds then the line snapped way before i could even see what it was.
Will be investing in down riggers this year.
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  #10  
Old 03-01-2017, 11:14 PM
Aqr8 Aqr8 is offline
 
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Good to know. If I don't get fish, I'll go for some free tackle shopping. Will never be bored up there.


Quote:
Originally Posted by billycap View Post
Kinbasket is pretty tough fishing compared with other bc lakes. Bc hydro drains the lake as much as100ft each year killing off most all the plant life. Catching rainbows larger than 5lbs and kokanee more than 1lb is rare. Some decent sized burbot and bull trout can be had once in awhile. There are no lake trout in kinbasket. I have fished this lake hundreds of times and if you want big fish come in april and do some c&r for big bulls. Rainbows and kokanee dissappear in early winter and dont return until late spring. High summer makes for good camping and plentiful small kokanee but the more the lake fills the more the fish population becomes diluted. In short kinbasket offers opportunities that cant be had at other bc lakes but the fishing is NOT great compared to other water within a couple of hours drive. I honestly have tried many fishing methods from trolling to bait and sinker and my best luck is still had walking the shore with a large five of diamonds. I catch more fish walking the shore than out of a boat almost every time except for summer kokanee. As kinbasket is just a flooded mountain valley down rigging is risky the depth changes unnaturally and the bottom still has huge old growth forest in spots. Which brings me to my other fav spring kinbasket hobby.... collecting snagged tackle during low water. So if you happen to lose some high end gear on the north end of the lake in less than 100 fow there is a chance it will end up in my tackle box.
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  #11  
Old 03-01-2017, 11:42 PM
Aqr8 Aqr8 is offline
 
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I enter from the south, Donald side. Seen some guys get their trailer past the marina (45km) mark. However, it does turn into a single gravel road and have to watch for the logging trucks. I did ok with a Utility trailer and 14ft John boat.
Weather pending, I do the SUV, seats down, crash. The tent only came out 2 of the 5 days.
You can find some really good spots out there. Saw a guy who called us over and who got his trailer quite far north on his first time to Kinbasket.
Great that you can get out to tons of crown land, camp with no neighbours and minimal people on the water.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Albertadiver View Post
Always been intrigued by this place. How is it for trailer camping?
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  #12  
Old 03-01-2017, 11:42 PM
Aqr8 Aqr8 is offline
 
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Didn't have the cash to buy down riggers so I tried dropping the jigs as deep as I could and worked them.
Trawled really slow and got a good bite, fought it for 20 seconds then the line snapped way before i could even see what it was.
Will be investing in down riggers this year.


Quote:
Originally Posted by wildwoods View Post
It all depends on your set up. I've learned that trout are trout. Lakers will be deep in summer as will rainbows. Lakers deepest. Are you using downriggers?
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  #13  
Old 03-02-2017, 10:53 AM
bubba300 bubba300 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Albertadiver View Post
Always been intrigued by this place. How is it for trailer camping?
I have sledded up there north of Donald,haven"t bin in a few years ,I recall a couple campgrounds before where all the old tugboats and logging stuff is parked and after that I wouldn't pull a trailer.
Very nice country out there,I have always wanted to do a week back there camping,quadding and fishing.
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  #14  
Old 03-02-2017, 02:07 PM
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The Reel Deal The Reel Deal is offline
 
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I've made 2 multi day trips out in the last 2 years with limited success.

Lots of time spent trolling everything at every depth, but most success has been by casting spoons into creek mouths for bulls.

Did find a few rainbows around the bush arm but nothing of significant size.
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  #15  
Old 03-02-2017, 03:25 PM
TROLLER TROLLER is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by billycap View Post
Kinbasket is pretty tough fishing compared with other bc lakes. Bc hydro drains the lake as much as100ft each year killing off most all the plant life. Catching rainbows larger than 5lbs and kokanee more than 1lb is rare. Some decent sized burbot and bull trout can be had once in awhile. There are no lake trout in kinbasket. I have fished this lake hundreds of times and if you want big fish come in april and do some c&r for big bulls. Rainbows and kokanee dissappear in early winter and dont return until late spring. High summer makes for good camping and plentiful small kokanee but the more the lake fills the more the fish population becomes diluted. In short kinbasket offers opportunities that cant be had at other bc lakes but the fishing is NOT great compared to other water within a couple of hours drive. I honestly have tried many fishing methods from trolling to bait and sinker and my best luck is still had walking the shore with a large five of diamonds. I catch more fish walking the shore than out of a boat almost every time except for summer kokanee. As kinbasket is just a flooded mountain valley down rigging is risky the depth changes unnaturally and the bottom still has huge old growth forest in spots. Which brings me to my other fav spring kinbasket hobby.... collecting snagged tackle during low water. So if you happen to lose some high end gear on the north end of the lake in less than 100 fow there is a chance it will end up in my tackle box.
HA what a great way to keep the ol tackle box stocked. Now I an wondering if the same thing goes on at Koocanusa, it too is dropped about 100ft.
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  #16  
Old 03-03-2017, 10:14 AM
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denpacc denpacc is offline
 
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Is the road paved all the way to Kinbaskit marina/launch, either South or North end?
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  #17  
Old 03-03-2017, 04:23 PM
slough shark slough shark is offline
 
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I was there last summer up around valemount, only caught a couple bulls from shore and small rainbows, only fished for a few hours so no expert
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  #18  
Old 03-03-2017, 06:09 PM
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billycap billycap is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by denpacc View Post
Is the road paved all the way to Kinbaskit marina/launch, either South or North end?
north side is 20ish km of gravel rd to marina. Some years the road is pretty smooth others its brutal washboard.
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  #19  
Old 03-05-2017, 05:54 PM
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denpacc denpacc is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by billycap View Post
north side is 20ish km of gravel rd to marina. Some years the road is pretty smooth others its brutal washboard.
Thanks for your input.

Anyone else able to comment on South access to lake? Gravel or pavement from Trans Canada?
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  #20  
Old 03-06-2017, 07:19 AM
Hunting Guy Hunting Guy is offline
 
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Default Kinbasket lake

The road is gravel starting as soon as you leave the highway at Donald. The closest launch at Bush harbour is at the 42km with another possible launch at caribou creek- 95km. In the spring the road has large heaves and occasional washouts. Once logging starts up in the spring the road gets better maintnance and is easier to get trailerd boats up to the launch.
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  #21  
Old 03-15-2017, 08:52 AM
Luckybrand Luckybrand is offline
 
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Default Kinbasket

I grew up in the area and it really depends on the time of year on kinbasket on the north end. Best technique for us has always been trolling with a willow leaf and wedding band. We've used that for years now, both out of a kayak and out of the jet boat. always seem to have the best luck with rainbows near where any creek runs into the lake. Access for anyone with a large trailer is very limited passed the marina and the road can be terrible as some members have already stated. Watch out for logging trucks it is an active forestry road and they do not appreciate vehicles cruising in at mach chicken with no radios, its also a good way for you to get killed. Kinbasket is an excellent place to just go and camp but dont be the ******* that leaves a mess. The government campsites are all run partially by the Valemount marina association so it benifits everyone that uses the boat launch to pay what little it costs to put your trailer in the sites as part of your "donation" goes to maintaining and upgrading the marina.
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  #22  
Old 03-08-2018, 08:39 PM
jamhead jamhead is offline
 
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I'm planning a fishing trip with my brothers to Kinbasket for this spring...when is the ice usually off and a guy able to start catching fish? Was thinking of going late Apr/Early May....

Any insights appreciated!
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  #23  
Old 03-09-2018, 11:41 AM
Gowest24 Gowest24 is offline
 
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Which part of the Lake are you planning on going to?
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  #24  
Old 03-09-2018, 09:52 PM
jamhead jamhead is offline
 
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We were thinking of going up from Golden, probably along the east side, to where there is a south & east arm that join.
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