François Lake
MU 6-4, Skeena
54.0414° N, 125.7667° W
- Surface area
- 25424ha
- Maximum depth
- 244.4m
- 802 ft
- Elevation
- 716m
- Campsites
- 7
- At Indian Bay rec site
François Lake sits in the Skeena region, a large water (> 500 ha) with access typical of the region. Use the map view for exact coordinates and turn-by-turn directions.
Open François Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at François Lake
François Lake is known for trophy Lake trout to 25 lb.
- Lake trout to 25 lb
- Rainbow trout to 10 lb
Trophy sizes this lake is known for, not a typical catch. They are historical records from our own big fish list, with no date on file, not recent catches.
François Lake at a glance
- Region
- Skeena
- Management unit
- MU 6-4
- Species
- Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Bull Trout, Burbot, Lake Whitefish, Kokanee (last recorded 1989), Dolly Varden (last recorded 1989), Mountain Whitefish (last recorded 1973), Sockeye Salmon, Prickly Sculpin, Redside Shiner, White Sucker, Longnose Dace, Northern Pikeminnow, Spoonhead Sculpin, Longnose Sucker (last recorded 1973), Sculpin (General) (last recorded 1973), Chub (General) (last recorded 1968), Sucker (General) (last recorded 1968)The newest of these fish records is from 2012.Species from the province's fish observation records.
- Lake size
- Large Water (> 500 ha)
- Ice fishing
- No ice fishing closure on file
- Coordinates
- 54.0414, -125.7667
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Fish on record at François Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Trout | 1950 | 2001 | 7 |
| Rainbow Trout | 1950 | 2012 | 10 |
| Bull Trout | 2012 | 2012 | 14 |
| Burbot | 1973 | 2010 | 6 |
| Lake Whitefish | 1973 | 2001 | 2 |
| Kokanee | 1962 | 1989 | 4 |
| Dolly Varden | 1968 | 1989 | 3 |
| Mountain Whitefish | 1968 | 1973 | 2 |
| Sockeye Salmon | 1970 | 2001 | 3 |
| Prickly Sculpin | 2010 | 2012 | 41 |
| Redside Shiner | 2012 | 2012 | 18 |
| White Sucker | 2010 | 2012 | 18 |
| Longnose Dace | 2012 | 2012 | 16 |
| Northern Pikeminnow | 1973 | 2012 | 5 |
| Spoonhead Sculpin | 2010 | 2010 | 1 |
| Longnose Sucker | 1973 | 1973 | 1 |
| Sculpin (General) | 1973 | 1973 | 1 |
| Chub (General) | 1968 | 1968 | 1 |
| Sucker (General) | 1968 | 1968 | 1 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
How to fish François Lake
Best times of year at François Lake
- May - June
- September - October
François Lake fishing regulations
For the area at the outlet of François Lake described on map 1, (see below): No Fishing Nov 15-May 31; char daily quota = 2, no more than 1 over 50 cm; rainbow trout catch and release; bait ban; single barbless hook; no set lining. Source: Province of British Columbia
Getting to François Lake
3.3 km of traced road to the campground by way of Indian Bay Rd and Uncha Lake Rd. The road at the end is a loose surface.
Coordinates: 54.0414, -125.7667
Camping and rec sites at François Lake
- Indian Bay
- Campsites
- 7 designated
- To the shore
- 107 m
Access: Near Southbank (Francois Lake), from Burns Lake take Hwy 35 and Colleymount Rd to the Northbank ferry terminal, cross Francois Lake on the ferry. When you get off the ferry, take the first left off Keefes Landing Road onto Uncha Lake Rd, travel east on Uncha Lake Rd for 2.3 km, then turn left on Indian Bay Road, and travel for ~1.0 km, access road is straight off the last corner on Indian Bay Road (eg. don't turn west/left at the corner).
Coordinates: 54.015773, -125.730509
How deep François Lake is
244.4 mdeepest
François Lake runs to 244.4 m (802 ft) at its deepest.
The ice year at François Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
The model treats François Lake as too large and deep to freeze over, so it gives no freeze-up or ice-off dates. On air temperature alone it would have frozen in 65 of 65 winters since 1960.
No ice fishing closure is recorded for François Lake, so the general regional regulations apply.
Whether a lake is open to ice fishing says nothing about whether its ice will hold you. Ice conditions vary year to year and across a single lake. Check locally before going out, every time.
François Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above François Lake is 1.0 C warmer than it was in the 1960s. That is 66 years of daily readings, not a forecast.
- +1.0 Csince the 1960s
- 3.6 Caverage year now
- 2.5 Caverage year then
- -10 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at François Lake
The forecast on this lake's own coordinate, refreshed through the day. The app reads these seven days for fishing and scores each one.
| Day | Sky | High / low | Wind | Rain | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 20 Oct | Overcast | 8° / 0° | 7 km/h, gusts 15 | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Light drizzle | 6° / 5° | 11 km/h, gusts 19 | 1 mm | Falling (-8.2 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Mainly clear | 6° / 3° | 14 km/h, gusts 23 | dry | Rising (+6.7 hPa) |
| Fri 23 Oct | Overcast | 5° / 2° | 11 km/h, gusts 19 | dry | Rising (+10.2 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Overcast | 6° / 2° | 14 km/h, gusts 22 | dry | Steady |
| Sun 25 Oct | Clear sky | 5° / 1° | 12 km/h, gusts 20 | dry | Rising (+5.4 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Overcast | 6° / 3° | 7 km/h, gusts 18 | dry | Falling (-3.4 hPa) |
François Lake, in brief
What fish are in François Lake?
Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Bull Trout, Burbot, Lake Whitefish, Kokanee (last recorded 1989), Dolly Varden (last recorded 1989), Mountain Whitefish (last recorded 1973), Sockeye Salmon. Species from the province's fish observation records.
Which management unit is François Lake in?
François Lake is in MU 6-4, in the Skeena. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near François Lake
- Francois Lake 1 km away
- Mollice Lake 10 km away
- Tchesinkut Lake 11 km away
- Guyishton Lake 13 km away
- Uncha Lake 17 km away
All 183 lakes in the Skeena, with today's conditions on each.