Roche Lake

Roche Lake sits at about 1,135 m (3,720 ft) on the Thompson Plateau, 36 km southeast of Kamloops, in Roche Lake Provincial Park. It is about 4 km (2.5 miles) long and drops to 21 m (70 ft) in the main basin, but much of it is shoal: marl flats, weed edges and drop-offs that grow chironomids, scuds, leeches and mayflies in big numbers. The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC stocks it every spring with Pennask rainbows, all females and many of them sterile triploids. Pennasks are lean, hot fish that jump and run hard. The usual fish is 1 to 2 kg (2 to 4 lb), and a fish of 4 kg (9 lb) or more is possible.

Roche is a chironomid lake first. The ice usually goes out in the second half of April. In the first weeks after, fish cruise the shallow marl shoal at the south end and the bays for bloodworms, scuds and leeches. From early May through June the chironomid hatches come off. Anchor on the edge of a shoal in 3 to 8 m (10 to 26 ft) and hang a pupa under an indicator, or fish the deep water with a long leader when the hatch comes up from the basin. Callibaetis mayflies and damsels follow in June, then sedges. In July and August the surface warms, the water greens up, and the fish drop down the drop-offs. Fish early and late with leeches, dragonfly nymphs and chironomids fished deep. After the fall turnover, in late September and October, fish come back onto the shoals for scuds, water boatmen and leeches until the ice comes in November. This is a boat lake. Reeds and soft marl make shore fishing poor, so bring a pram, a pontoon boat or a float tube, and two anchors to hold you steady on the shoal.

Roche is popular, and on a good May weekend dozens of boats anchor on the shoals. The rules are 2 rainbows a day, a single hook, and no ice fishing. Electric motors only, up to 7.5 kW, in the south arm, south of the largest island. The synopsis sets no motor limit north of that line, so expect some outboards. The lake is 9 km up Roche Lake Road, a gravel road that turns off Highway 5A at the north end of Trapp Lake. It is rough after rain. BC Parks runs two first-come campgrounds on the lake, West and North, each with an undeveloped launch for small boats, and the West launch closes when the water is low. Roche Lake Resort on the east shore rents cabins and campsites from May to mid-October, but it rents no boats. If Roche is crowded or slow, the park's smaller lakes, such as John Frank, Horseshoe and Bog, are a short drive or walk away. Afternoon wind is common, so fish the mornings and evenings when you can.