Big
Lake - Big Fish:
Many
'experts' would look at Quesnel Lake and simply say
that it cannot be worked with a fly. Nothing could
be further from the truth. From casting egg patterns
to 'buck tailing,' our guides will open your eyes
to one of the world's best kept secrets. It's pure
excitement!
Angling
Methods:
There's great fly fishing in the lake and feeder creeks.
Plus, numerous
small stillwaters abound in the region of British Columbia as well as
three world class rivers. Spin
casting and trolling are also common angling methods
used in our waters.
Flyfishing:
Imagine yourself on the casting deck of your guide's
boat, fly rod in hand, ready to make that perfect
cast into a pulsating ball of salmon fry. Armed with
the knowledge that these 'bait balls' are being formed
from below by large hungry rainbow trout, your adrenaline
will start pumping and your heart thumping. Imagine
watching these huge predators slash through the balls
of baitfish. Now,
place the perfect cast, make the perfect retrieve,
and suddenly, there's a strike from a 12 pounder!
Of course, actually landing these giants involves
skill, the right equipment and perhaps a little luck.
If
you are seeking a new and unique BC angling experience, Elysia
Resort is exactly what you have been looking for.
Why wait any longer, come visit us and prepare for
the fight of a lifetime.
Prime
flyfishing in Quesnel Lake and its numerous feeder
creeks starts in the middle of May and continues through
October. The action can be fast and furious on the
water as well as at the creek mouths. Catches of 25
trout a day are not uncommon, but beware those days
require physical stamina. While wild rainbow trout
are our primary targets, Bull trout, Lake trout, Kokanee,
as well as whitefish are all present.
Pioneering
new and unique flyfishing opportunities! We are continually
pioneering new techniques and patterns, and consequently
revolutionizing the science behind the art of flyfishing
in this huge body of water. We are dedicated to a
'match the hatch' philosophy, and offer world-class
instruction on techniques specially designed to catch
these extraordinary trout. In fact, we consider our
lodge to be a learning center. If you are new to the
sport, or merely seeking an environment that will
take your skills to the next level, we think you will
be impressed.
For
us, nothing beats the pure satisfaction of assisting
our guests to realize their dreams, and hopefully
the "catch of a lifetime."
Thoughts
from Quille, our head guide, on best angling times:
May
-- May can be one of the best months on and around
Quesnel Lake and we often have the water all to ourselves.
The leaves are just starting to bud, spring flowers
are blooming and because of the deep snow in the high
country, the wildlife is abundant along the shorelines.
The Rainbow trout are near the end of their spawning,
and the non-spawners are predating the eggs. May is
also a time when the alveins (baby salmon) are making
their way out of the creeks and into the lake. The
water is low and clean, and the big fish are hanging
out on the shoals and around the creek mouths.
June
-- Although the snow is starting to melt, and the
run off from the creeks and rivers can make the lake
murky and high, the salmon fry are starting to move
around the lake in huge bait balls. Find the bait,
you'll find an abundance of trout. Small stillwaters
are excellent all month in June. There is often very
good dry fly fishing.
July
-- This is the month the dry flies start to hatch
on the rivers. Early morning and evening angling is
sometimes necessary for small Lakes. The big lake
is usually good although hot weather can mean we need
to hunt a little more. By mid July the rivers are
at their best.
August
-- August continues to be good river fishing. The
big lake creek mouths can be good with big fish cruising
the deeper drop offs searching for bait (salmon fry).
Near the end of August the Sockeye salmon start to
enter Quesnel River. This is the beginning of the
very exciting fall season.
September
-- There are more salmon in the lake, at the creek
mouths and in the rivers, giving us ample opportunity
to catch trout that are predating the salmon eggs.
The Lake trout (a.k.a. Lake Char, Laker) also start
to spawn in September, but they must be fished in
the evening when they gather on the shoals near the
creek mouths. The big lake is excellent now, because
of the great numbers of salmon fry feeding on or near
the surface.
October
-- October brings good egg pattern fishing, as well
as nymphing and buck tailing. We often find huge schools
of Salmon and Kokanee Fry feeding on the plankton.
Egg patterns and flesh flies work well. There are
very few other fishermen around at this time of year.
Enjoy the "Indian Summer," the fall colors,
and the solitude.
Note:
Rainstorms can cause the creeks and rivers to be non-fishable
at any time of the season.
Enjoy
your stay,
Quille
Farnham
Head Fishing Guide
What
Brian Chan, an avid fly fisher, has to say:
"Quesnel Lake may be better known as being
one of the deepest fiord lakes in the world but
it also offers some superb angling opportunities
for the avid fly fisher. Major river systems plus
a multitude of creek mouths offer ideal fly fishing
opportunities for rainbow, bull trout and lake
trout. Elysia Resort is strategically situated
to access these fisheries as well as being the
perfect place to return to great food, hospitality
and accommodations." - Brian Chan, world
renowned author and flyfishing enthusiast |
