Fishing in Yellow Lake just got a bit easier.
In July, the Penticton Flyfishers club installed a T-shaped dock, allowing easy access to one of the deep cool spots where fish like to congregate in the popular fishing spot along Highway 3A between Keremeos and Kaleden.
“There is a drop off there that goes out and down about 30 feet, about six or seven feet out from the dock,” said the Flyfishers’ George Graw.
The club already maintains a couple of docks in the lake, mainly for tying boats to, but the new dock, he explained, will help younger kids get out fishing, some with a little help.
“You can clip a float and put a worm or whatever on a line and they will have a decent chance of catching a fish,” said Graw. “There is pretty nice kokanee and rainbow trout in there.”
According to Graw, the Flyfishers put a lot of thought into finding the ideal spot for the dock, combining both accessibility and depth of the water.
“If they can flick their wrist, they will get it out there to where the water is deep enough,” said Graw.
“That’s just ideal for any little kid that’s just learning to cast or can’t cast, mom or dad can flick it out there for them.”
Yellow Lake was also chosen because it was on a busy tourist route, right alongside the highway with the thought of travellers and if they had grumpy kids could stop there, let the kids out to have a stretch and maybe try fishing.
While it’s late in the season to arrange anything, Graw said the Flyfishers are looking at the possibility of arranging a day next year for the club to take a group of kids fishing, an activity he enjoys himself with his grandson.
“I got him thoroughly hooked,” said Graw, telling how the youngster once reeled in three fish in two days of fishing.
“He went up to his Aunty Marg and said ‘this fishing is really easy. Grandpa ties a bug on the string, throws it in the water and the fish come and eat it. There’s nothing to it’,” said an envious Graw.
“He really enjoyed it, that was the main thing.”
The new dock, however, didn’t cut into the club’s treasury. Funding for it came through the Habitat Conservation Trust fund.
“We’re just going to maintain it,” said Graw. The dock itself was built by New Wave Docks of 100 Mile House, then trucked down to Yellow Lake.
“They built it and brought it down and put it in and we just kind of sat around and watched,” he said.