128 ROD & CREEL 



late years it has foecome renowned for its "bass," these fish 

 having found their way up from the States into the lake. This 

 lake is little affected by freshets and the fishing is good all sum- 

 mer and early fall. 



OKANAGAN LAKE 



This lake, which is about seventy miles long, runs nearly 

 due north and south from Okanagan Landing at the north, to 

 Penticton at the south, passing through the centre of the 

 Okanagan Valley. 



This district is considered the garden of the interior and 

 is the greatest producer of fruit in the Province. 



The lake is chiefly noted for its big steelheads or Kamloops 

 trout, which used to be extremely plentiful, though of late years 

 the number of these fish has sadly lessened, though some good 

 fish are still to be caught. As far as size is concerned, a twenty- 

 pound fish is about as big as you can hope to get nowadays. 

 Some years ago a fish of that weight would not have been 

 thought very much of, as quite a number of fish up to twenty- 

 five pounds used to be caught. Mr. R. Leckie Ewing, of Oka- 

 nagan Landing, who has lived at and fished the lakes for many 

 years, informs me that he saw a fish weighed which went thirty- 

 two pounds and that he caught one himself of twenty-eight 

 pounds. Mr. Dundas, of Kelowna, also an old-timer, saw one 

 weighed of thirty-one pounds. 



The best parts of the lake for trolling for these big fish 

 are from Cameron's Point, which is about six miles south of 

 Okanagan Landing, to about Okanagan Centre, and from a point 

 about two miles south of Kelowna to about a mile south of 

 Deep Creek. The last mentioned stretch of water is easily 

 fished from Kelowna and is the most easy of access of any, 

 though naturally is the most fished. The water at the head of 

 the lake can be fished from Okanagan Landing, or even from 

 Vernon, which is about six miles from the lake. There is also 

 some fairly good water within easy reach of Penticton. 



The best month of the year for trolling is March, though 

 you can catch them from September and all the winter months, 

 whenever weather permits fishing. As a general thing the 

 middle to end of May ends all trolling. 



In this lake very long lines are used, the best results are 

 obtained by having out 175 yards and no lead at all. The baits 

 used are mostly large Otters, B^o-inch Gibbs Stewart and home- 

 made wobblers, one of which is made with the skin of a trout 

 and does excellent execution. 



As a" general thing the lake is too deep for fly fishing, but 

 there are shallows and rocky points here and there all round 

 the lake, where very good sport may be had in May, June, 

 July and sometimes in September and beginning of October. 



