Just minutes away from downtown Quesnel is one of the most renowned fisheries within the BC Cariboo Region, Dragon Lake. This 225 hectare lake is known to produce monster Rainbow Trout year round but especially during ice fishing season. Hooking into fish over 10 pounds in the winter is not unheard of on this lake. The Freshwater Fishery Society of BC aggressively stocks Dragon Lake with Blackwater Rainbow Trout each year which tend to grow large in size. Many anglers will boast that their best day of fishing that they’ve ever experienced in BC was at Dragon Lake.
This lake usually freezes over enough to safely go ice fishing in mid to late November and fishes well into April. December tends to be prime time to hook into these large chrome beauties as the oxygen levels are still high and the fish are very active. The lake is not that deep with the max depth of around 26 feet but it offers an abundance of weed lines and drop off ledges to target. The bigger trout will hide just off the ridges until they want to feed, typically in the first few hours of daylight. The trout will then start their approach into the shallow waters feeding on invertebrates that are hiding out in the decaying vegetation. Jig your presentation just centimeters off the bottom where the fish are cruising looking for food. Cooked shrimp and invertebrate fly patterns work well to entice the bite.
It is always recommended to check the updated fishing regulations for Dragon Lake as this lake is regulated in a way to help sustain this incredible fishery. The current regulations is that an angler is allowed to keep 1 fish and there is no fishing southeast of a line between signs on opposite shores of the bay at the mouth of Hallis Creek, Apr 1-May 31.
So the next time you are visiting Quesnel or planning to drive through; it is well worth the time to drop a line into Dragon Lake so you too can experience this BC Cariboo treasure!
For more information about this fishery or other hot spots within the BC Cariboo Region please contact us at BC Fishn’. If you have a fishing story from the Cariboo area,we want to hear about it! Please comment below and tell us the story! Don’t forget to check us out and share your fishing pictures on our BC Fishn’ Facebook page!
Tight lines!
Seth Smith
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