The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

This article chronicles a recent trip to Quesnel Lake in central British Columbia.  This is the fifth part of the series. 

The Elysia resort rental boats are perfectly designed for the big lake.  They are 16 foot center consol aluminum boats with 50 horse 4 stroke motors; economical on gas, yet were fast enough to cover the long distances on Quesnel Lake.  From the lodge to the end of the East Arm is approximately 38 miles, so we had lots of ground to cover.  Drew met us at the marina and got us set up with the boat.  We had previewed the map of the East arm last night over dinner, and had decided we wanted to be flexible enough to cover the whole East Arm.  Drew asked if we intended to run to Niagara Falls, a run of about 33-35 miles, and when we confirmed that we might, he loaded another tank of gas into the boat.  He guessed we would need about 10-12 gallons for the day; he sent us with 16 gallons and a radio, just in case. 

The motor was very quiet as we moved along the east arm at about 30+ MPH.  Our eyes strained towards every rift in the high mountains leading into the lake to try and see a creek mouth that might hold Bull Trout or large rainbows.  Looking at the maps, it appeared there might have been several nice creeks just down the lake.  But we put miles behind us in search of those creek mouths.  Several had miniscule flows, so we kept moving.  The mountains towered above the lake, but didn’t yield too many spots to stop and fish.  After several false starts at what we thought might be promising creek mouths, we headed for Lynx Creek, which had boasted the best reports from the East Arm this week.  Lynx Creek was a long run; approximately 20 miles from Elysia Lodge.

Lynx Creek 

Lynx Creek is a good size creek that enters Quesnel Lake in a tight corner of the lake.   The creek channel runs parallel to the shore where it enters the lake, and the current follows steep cliffs for a couple hundred yards.  The current from this creek is obvious from the main lake.  As we arrived, rather than jumping out of the boat and wading, we decided to troll this area for a short time.  Immediately Rob hooked up with a nice 3 pound rainbow which we brought to net and released.  Shortly after, while trolling tightly to the cliffs to the east of this creek mouth, my rod jumped and I had a nice 3 pound LakeTrout to net.  A nice start to the day! 

Lake Trout Taken Trolling off Lynx Creek

We finally beached the boat and began working the gravel fan of the Lynx Creek Mouth where it entered Quesnel Lake.  On his second cast Rob had a hook up which was much bigger than either of the first two fish caught trolling.  He played the fish for a few minutes before bringing a nice 25” rainbow to net.  Like previous fish this week, this rainbow had taken an Elysia Special.  I had tied another dozen the previous evening to restock our depleted supply.  Twenty miles and three fish and it was already noon on another gorgeous British Columbia Day!  Shortly after, Rob hooked a nice 5 pound Bull before turning the floor back to me with a nice rainbow.  I played this fish to net, a 24 inch rainbow that was full of spunk.   A few casts later, I cast out well beyond the current and let the Rio Deep 7 line sink deep. 

As soon as I moved the Elysia Special, a fish slammed the fly and parted 2X like it wasn’t there. 

Rob with a fish on at Lynx Creek 

We trolled away from Lynx Creek and worked a steep cliff wall that dropped quickly into the depths of the lake.  About a half mile down the lake we saw a familiar boat.  It was Quille and Blaine.  They had had a good morning and were slowly working the lake back towards Elysia.  We were still headed up lake and Quille recommended another creek mouth just a few miles down; Bill Miner Creek.  Earlier in the week Blaine had gotten several nice Bulls off this creek.  That was all we needed to hear, so we picked up our lines and ran across the lake to this hidden gem.  Bill Miner Creek was the smallest of the creek mouths we’d fished this week.  The creek was barely 20 feet across.  At the edge of the current and gravel fan, the creek dropped sharply off into the depths of Quesnel Lake.  Rob jumped out of the boat while I set the anchor; he headed to the near side of the creek and began casting.  Once again he’d sluiced me on first casts, and once again he hooked up first.  A nice 6 pound Bull to net.  I followed Rob and crossed the current to the opposite side of the creek and began working the drop off. 

Rob with a Nice Bill Miner Creek Bull Trout

Bull trout like to lie just below the drop off and intercept bait fish that might stray off the edge.  When casting large streamers out into the depths of the lake, often the retrieve will go untouched until just before the leader butt reaches the tip guide, and the fly crosses from the depths into the shallows.  Suddenly a big bull trout will lunge and take at the last moment right under your feet.  So it was at Bill Miner Creek.  I cast into the depths, let the fly sink and began a haphazard retrieve of the Elysia Special to resemble a crippled baitfish.  Just before the fly reached the edge of the drop off, I saw a huge head rush in to intercept the fly.  The take was barely 8 feet from where I was standing and I raised the rod and felt several good head shakes and then nothing.  Another lost fish.  Damn, I was 2 for 8 so far today and that fish was at least 27-28 inches.  I cast again to the same spot and the scene was repeated; probably the same fish lunged at the fly, gave two head shakes and off again.  A third cast, and again an aggressive take, but this time the fish actually took line before the fly came free.  A boil, four seconds of ecstasy, and then despair as the fish got off for a third time.  Finally after the fourth take the fish learned that the Elysia Special was a fake and he gave up teasing me.  Another 20 minutes and no luck, so we decided to press on down the East Arm of Elysia Lake.   

We followed along the south shore and saw several promising valleys running into the lake.  But each time we got close, the creek mouths were small or non-existent.  So we kept moving.  After a long run we ran out of lake and reached the end of the East Arm.  At the end of the lake we thought there was a promising creek mouth, but we cruised through the shallows and didn’t observe any fish in the crystal clear water, so we kept pressing around the lake.  Just down the North side of the East Arm we came upon a magnificent lodge with a large float plane dock.  It was clear we were a long ways from anywhere.  The high Caribou Mountains frame this end of the lake with magical beauty.  The visitors to this lodge really get away from all but the bears in this beautiful setting.   

It was time to begin the long journey back to Elysia.  Rob gave gas to the motor, brought it up on plane and we began running the 35 miles back to the resort.  Not more than a mile down the lake, the motor stuttered and stopped.  We’d run the first tank out of gas, with the full length of the East Arm still left to cover on the second tank of gas.  We were appreciative of Drew’s foresight to add a small third tank, just in case! 

Just a few miles down from Blue Lead Creek, we ran into Niagara Falls, the British Columbia Version.  One of the major tributaries to Quesnel Lake is the Niagara Creek, and just before it enters the lake it drops over a spectacular falls that are readily visible from the lake.  We paused for a few minutes in the off color glacial current of Niagara Creek and snapped a few pictures of the falls.  It is an awesome sight, and we were very glad we’d taken the extra time to stop.  We’d hit this sight not too far beyond peak runoff and the amount of water pouring over the cliff forming the falls was amazing.  For some reason it never dawned on either of us to fish this broad current.  I’m left wondering if there weren’t a few rainbows and bulls working this area that would have taken the Elysia Special.

Niagara Falls, Quesnel Lake, BC

We had one last stop on the way home at Lynx Creek, where we’d caught several nice fish earlier in the day.  The creek was running substantially higher than earlier in the day from snowmelt throughout the afternoon.  The shallow channel leading across to the gravel fan at the mouth of this creek was flowing much higher, and navigating it was iffy, but we made it across without going swimming.  We worked Lynx for a good 45 minutes and picked up four more nice fish.  I hooked, and landed two, as did Rob.  My best was the final fish of the day, a 25 inch Bull that took a Bow River Bugger and then dragged me back and forth across the gravel fan at Lynx Creek.  It had been a great day.  We’d caught good numbers of fish, and most were very good size.  We’d also caught by far the most Bull Trout of any day this week. 

Rob on the run back to Elysia Resort

It was already 7:00 pm and we had 20 miles to go across Quesnel Lake, so we reeled in and began to 40 minute run back to the lodge.  We finished the day with a well earned scotch and a nice dinner in the Elysia dining room.  Tomorrow we were on our own again, and we were going to head for the North Arm in one of the Elysia rental boats. 

Sunset over the East Arm of Quesnel Lake

The Next Report:

Day 5 - The North Arm – A Tough Day’s Fishing Sure Beats Work!

Previous Reports:   

The Trip to Quesnel Lake

Day 1 - The North Arm and Phil's Elysia Special

Day 2 - Klinne Lake