Allendale Lake

The first weekend of summer and yet there was a slight frost on the jeep and the picnic table as I stepped out of the tent trailer. Mist was rising off of Solco Lake, not too inviting right now after a night with a clod nose sticking out of a sleeping bag. Blue skies and fluffy white clouds promised that the day should soon warm up. Since the canoe was still on the jeep it seemed like a good day to check out Allendale Lake.

Once back to the Weyerhaeuser Road we turned north and then just before the eighteen kilometre mark took one of the roads heading off to the East. Luck was with us and we spotted a whitetail doe along with the usual gophers, chipmunks and squirrels. The five kilometres into the lake was in excellent condition and soon we were checking out the public recreational area near the dam. There were masses of wild strawberries in blossom. Depending on the weather in about three weeks a good feed of strawberries could be an enjoyable addition to the days fishing.

The camp sites were reasonably clean, which is nice to see as this an most forestry recreation sites are user maintained. The picnic tables were also in good shape as I assume the outdoor toilets were as well. Further up the lake we could see the private resort. Both facilities were quite busy. Once out on the lake we could see several newer cabins and a few motor homes or trailers at the resort.

It’s not a large lake, but has a good reputation for producing well. Early in the season water levels are reasonably high and it’s worth checking the areas with old trees from the flooding down along the shoreline. Great areas to fly fish, however with four people in the canoe we stuck with spinning outfits with floats and flies. First we checked out the area furthest from the dam. Usually these areas have more shallows and offer some good feeding grounds.

Fishing was not fast, but we caught and released a few small fish and one of my partners landed three between eleven and twelve inches long. Just enough to give us our first taste of trout for the season that evening. Several people were out in belly boats and a couple in light kayaks. It was nice and quite with no motors, very relaxing.

This is one of the many lakes that has a big draw down in the fall leaving a shore line that is a bit muddy and not quite so inviting. Incentive enough for fishermen to get proactive towards water conservation programs. Early season fishing offers the most scenic and aesthetically pleasing experience. Later in the season as these lake experience draw down the surface area are greatly reduced and the fish are more concentrated. As with most lakes of the higher elevations fishing should be good now right through to freeze up.

If you are tired of fishing there are also several old roads in the area that make for pleasant strolls. You might even consider packing a rod and seeing if you can locate the small dam located between Allendale and Solco Lakes. I have not heard any reports of fishing there, but it is on my list of destinations to check out.

Now that I have a GPS I’ll be able to locate some of these little gems off the beaten path. All I have to do is learn how to use it and find the time for exploring. Watch for reports on these in the future.