McLean Clan Lake

Mclean Clan Lake

A chance conversation with a couple I met while waiting for my jeep to cool down as it had overheated while pulling the tent trailer up the 201 from Okanagan Falls, had me headed to Mclean Clan Lake.

Apparently you cold now drive to it from the Derenzy Forest Service Road. It was a little later than I would have liked, but I was headed down the 201 to reacquaint myself with this lake. It had been 20 years since I had hiked in with my young family.

As usual I was rewarded with several mule deer and whitetail deer crossing the road. Passing the 28 kilometre sign I sooon took a left hand turn onto the Derenzy Forest Service Road. Not knowing what to expect, I zeroed my odometer trip meter as I began my search. Keeping to the main road I bypassed several roads and then came to the Culper Lake Forest Service Road.

My maps and GPS indicated Culper Lake lay between Mclean Clan and Derenzy Lake so I took this road and noted my odometer showed 4.9 km. Ignoring the Culper Lake Raods 100 thru 300 I kept on going to the end of the road. This did not look promising, but a short distance back at a fairly sharp corner there were several vehicles parked. I headed back there and investigated.

There was a fairly rough bush road heading in the right direction. Parking I gathered my gear and began walking. This road was just a little over half a kilometre in length and sure enough I ended up and McLean Clan Lake. Here I met Fred Morris and a grup on a weekend Stag party. Hats off to this group they left the site in beautiful condition. There is also a great frame here to drape a tarp over for shelter. Thanks guys.

After a brief talk I followed an ATV trail to a point down the lake and began to fish from shore.Soon it became apparent I should have gone back for the canoe. Activity near the shore was very spotty while out in the centre of the lake there was a fairly consistent rise of failry decent fish. I would not at all be surprised to land a trout up to a kilogram out of this small lake. The largest fish I’ve landed was about 35 centimetres or 14 inches in length.

One side of the earthen dam was washed out, but is does not seem to have affected the fish habitat too much. There are still portions of the shoreline that have a lot of trees left in the water, but also some areas where one can cast from the shore.

My recommendation, if at all possible, is to take in a canoe or a car top boat. Be aware, though, that the last little bit an be very rough on a vehicle. Experience on rough raods and knowledge of your vehicle will allow you to get into some very interesting spots, but always carry emergency gear with you.

The afternoon trip back home was very interesting as I saw tow four point mule deer bucks and a two point mule deer and a while tail buck of undetermined point count. Makes one think of the coming hunting season. However, as there is a restriction on using a vehicle for hunting or to carry game out this would ve a very long drag or carry to get a deer out from here. Still, I expect that September and early October will see me carrying my canoe in here for a decent crack at this lake.