Stillwater · Volcanic · British Columbia

Pennask Lake

Pennask Lake venue image

Pennask is the wild high-plateau lake that gave BC its famous free-rising rainbow strain — remote, cold and prolific, with mayfly and sedge hatches that bring big numbers of willing fish to the surface.

Fair · Rainbow
Callibaetis Nymph · 12-16
Fairlive now
Good drifting conditions on Pennask Lake
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
56% confidence
What moved it
  • WindSW 18 km/hGentle breeze
Today's fly
CN
Callibaetis Nymph12-16
High-confidence seasonal pick
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Gentle breeze
SW 18 km/h
N
SW
from the south-west
Wave40 cm chop
Water temp
Air temp19°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure1014 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
After ice-off (June) through the summer hatches; high elevation shifts the season later.
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
The plan
Plan A

Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.

Plan B

If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.

Watch for

Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.

Boat — drift

A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 5 with Pro.

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Through the year
0–3 scale · July highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Flying AntsHatch
1
1
Gray DrakeHatch
1
1
CallibaetisHatch
1
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Rainbow fly box
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Managed wild fishery with gear/access rules
  • Verify current BC regs (Region 8).
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
59%
Cloud50%
Wind65%
Temp60%

A reasonable day here, though cloud isn't quite in the sweet spot.

Fishing better nearby · 5
Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Pennask is the wild high-plateau lake that gave BC its famous free-rising rainbow strain — remote, cold and prolific, with mayfly and sedge hatches that bring big numbers of willing fish to the surface. It's a dry-fly stillwater at heart, with classic chironomid and leech fishing too. A bucket-list interior lake with a real sense of wilderness.

Under the surface

Pennask is a legendary high-plateau wild-rainbow lake west of Kelowna — the source of the famous Pennask strain of fast, free-rising rainbows used to stock waters across the province. Remote and high, it's a wild fishery known for prolific mayfly and sedge hatches and for trout that come willingly to the dry. A storied, fly-only-spirited destination lake.

Wading: Remote high lake, cold water, weather; boat/float tube fishery

  • Lake
  • Volcanic
  • Stillwater
  • Shoal
Why this score
  • summer conditions with overcast skies and breezy wind.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 June31 October
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts