Chataway Lakes
Tony Eberts
The Great Outdoors
  On a mountain plateau 5,000 feet above the town of Merritt there is a rustic resort serving a dozen lovely lakes that have too many fish in them.
  The angling motto at Chataway Lakes Resort is: "Forget about that catch-and-release stuff--keep all the fish you can!" And we're not talking about puny little fingerlings here, but wild, hard-fighting Kamloops trout that average 12 inches in most lakes but run considerably bigger in some. There are too many of them simply because conditions are ideal and there are relatively few anglers.
  The resort is growing in popularity as a low-priced family getaway in an area of priceless beauty and outdoor fun ranging from sandy-beach swimming and exploring nature trails to light-tackle fishing for all ages and skill levels.
  Yes, "rustic" means pit toilets and no running water in the log cabins, and you bring your own bedding, bath and kitchen towels and a lantern for when the generator shuts down at 10 p.m. But there's a central shower-house, spring water piped to handy locations, good firewood (free for wood-burning stoves; extra for campfires), propane cookstoves, lakeside cabins and campground, and a matchless mountain-high atmosphere.
  When I was last at Chataway, 10 years ago, it was just being put on the market by its founder, the late Bill Roddy. Roddy, a great bear of a man and a former Vancouver cop, built most of the log cabins, headquarters and support buildings himself, with the aid of crews of city street kids.
  His summer work parties, beginning decades ago, not only carved out a resort from virtually nothing but wilderness; they helped to straighten out the lives of dozens of young people. His aim was to supply quality, low-cost vacations for families, and his successors, Pete and Marshall Willson, have perfected the plan.
  Nearby lakes are connected by rough roads that require a 4 x 4 or at least a vehicle with good ground clearance. Of these, the surest bet is beautiful Roscoe, which fairly teems with fish and clearly calls for heavier fishing pressure. It is an ideal introduction to fishing for kids, because the only way to miss fish is to forget your tackle.
  On one visit, Bill took four of us to Roscoe Lake and in an afternoon we hooked more than 150 fish, ranging up to 13 inches. I mooched with one rod and cast a floating line with a second, and several times had two lively trout on at the same time.
  The Willsons keep rowboats at all the lakes, and you bring the oars with you. My son Jerry and I stayed at the home lake because Jerry's Camry sedan wasn't designed for really rough stuff, although it had no trouble with the 29 kilometres of rustic mountain road between pavement and the resort.|
  Another reason for staying at Chataway Lake: The trout were taking mooched flies and trolled lures such as minimum-size Flat Fish, and we enjoyed other relaxing activities such as hand-feeding the squirrels and exploring the beaver pond.
  The resort offers year-round activities: Cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing and more. There is a little store for essentials, including fishing tackle, ice and licences, and you can check out the excellent website: chataway.bc.ca
  The mailing address is P.O. Box 294, Merritt V1K 1B8; telephone 250-378-0105. A typical package deal is cabin and boat for four persons, four nights, for $299; with a campsite, $120.
July 25, 2002.