There's a duck lake near Creston. Is that near Mission?
DUCK LAKE, BC
It may be a shock to learn that a lake in B.C., which has only a handful of bass waters, has the criteria required to produce the trophy of a lifetime. Duck Lake is Canada's best bet for a 10-pound-plus largemouth, having already yielded an 8-pounder. Only a few lakes in North America have the conditions to yield such a fish.
Rob Baldwin, a former B.C. fisheries biologist, explains that Duck Lake's location in southern B.C., near Creston, gives it the extended growing season that bass need to reach 10 pounds. There's also a prolific forage base. What's more, Duck Lake receives relatively little fishing pressure (bass are not nearly as popular in B.C. as they are in Ontario or Quebec).
Duck Lake is part of a large delta where Kootenay River enters Kootenay Lake. There's a four-bass limit, with slot sizes, and a year-round open-season. Proposed regulation changes, however, may see a catch-and-release-only, spring bass season. But for those who want a unique bass fishery and an honest shot at a rare Canadian 10-pounder, Duck Lake is the spot.