Eena Lake is yet another one of our "city" lakes that Prince George is blessed with. How many places in the world can boast of a small body of water that supports a high-quality fishery, which can be accessed by paved roads within twenty minutes, regularly produce rainbow trout in the 40-50 cm class, and not attract crowds of people?
The public boat launch at Eena is accessed by turning west onto Chief Lake Road from Foothills Blvd or Highway 97 North, where you will travel about 12 kilometres and turn north onto Chief Lake Road as it carries onward to Nukko and Chief Lakes. After about 5 km, turn west again onto Eena Lake Road, left on Woods Road, and right on Quinn Road, which takes you to the car-top boat launch and lake access.
Eena was poisoned during the late 1980s to rid the lake of its coarse fish, and then stocked in the early 90s with rainbow trout. It receives an annual stocking of 5,000 trout, and produces a high-quality fishery because of its nutrient-rich water and abundant insect life.
Eena possesses two deep holes, one at the middle of the south end at 14 metres depth and another in the middle of the north end at 23 m. It has an irregular bathometric scale, with many sunken hills and several long weed-lined trenches that produce prime holding and feeding water for its trout--find these spots and you will be rewarded with a fine catch of fish. There is an island that separates the two ends; fishing is generally decent around the perimeters of the island, and it's also a good spot to eat a shore lunch with the family or let the dog out for quick relief.
Some fly patterns to try at Eena include: chironomids and mayflies in early spring and summer; damsel, mayfly and dragonfly nymphs through the summer months; and leech and scud patterns through the entire season right to freeze-up in November.
Your fly line choices should be floating or sinking: chironomid patterns are best fished with either a floating line and long 20-foot leader or an indicator set-up to control your depth; nymph patterns can be fished with floating line in less than 3 metres of water, or a sink-tip or full-sinking # 2 or 3 line when the trout are holding in 4 m of water or greater. Your best success for fishing the deep holes will most often be a full-sinking line that will plough through the bottom and interest trout when they refuse to come into the shallows. And for rising trout, always remember the caddis fished on a dry line will usually be the best trick of the day!
Eena trout are some of the best-eating in the north--take a few home for the barbeque to remind you of those special days of your life spent fishing.
For more information on fly fishing places and patterns to use in the Central Interior, refer to the book Fly Fishing BC's Interior by Brian Smith, available at local bookstores and sporting goods retailers.
