Kootenay region ice first part of May?

[BruceW]

Hi,
Been a long time since we've done any fishing in BC but wife and I are thinking maybe a short 4-5 day fishing trip this spring is in order. Just wondering if, on an, "average" year the lakes are open(free of ice) in the first part of May? We're thinking the 5th to the 9th or so. (I realize each spring can be very different, just looking for a base idea if our time frame is too early) I've an old copy of the regs but have been reading the new one's online.

Will most likely be going to the smaller lakes E of Kookanusa, possibly further west and south of there.

Thank you.

[jtred]

Most lower elevation lakes should be ice-free by May, I've only been living in s.BC for 8 years but from what I've seen most are open by May. It's a different story when you start to gain a little elevation however, last year a lot of FSR's(bush roads) were still snowed in the later part of May. Especially on shaded north facing slopes the roads where impassable to trucks.

[SPEYMAN]

Google Map the lakes you are thinking of going to,mark the elevation, find nearest body of water at same elevation with a resort or town etc., phone them and find out when the ice usually is gone. Without a definite location it is hard to say.

[Mikey Rafiki]

No ice then unless you're way up the valleys or in the alpine. Northstar or Suzie are nice campgrounds before the summer invasion happens.

[BruceW]

Thanks guys, ^^^ That's where we used to go and will likely head to.

[riflebuilder]

Suzie has good bass fishing at that time, white jigs work great around the docks