Thompson Okanagan

Acrobatic Kamloops trout. Huge sea-run steelhead. Dry, desert-like climate. Hundreds of stocked lakes. The famed Thompson River. No wonder thousands of anglers return year after year to the Thompson Okanagan.

The action starts on most lakes in April. Six-mile and Jacko lakes near Kamloops and White Lake near Salmon Arm are among the first to open.

The Nehalliston Wilderness lakes on the Bonaparte Plateau are great examples of excellent fishing that stays good all summer. High elevation lakes in this 'High Country' paradise like Dairy, Taweel and world famous Lac Le Jeune promise great fishing. Brook, lake and bull trout, Dolly Varden, small- and largemouth bass, crappie and yellow perch add incredible versatility to your angling experience.

A network of roads, many used by the forest industry, make much of the area easily accessible by car. Other, more remote areas are reached by hiking trail, 4WD or aircraft. Huge lakes like Kamloops, Shuswap, Adams, Murtle, Mahood and Clearwater provide excellent angling opportunities. They are more suited to trolling, but fly-casting near river mouths is also effective.

Considering the variety of fish, the dry climate and abundance of lakes and streams, it is easy to see why the Thompson-Okanagan is so popular with anglers from around the world.

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