Lakes
of Vancouver Island
Photo: Nimpkish
Lake
Order
books on lake fishing in BC
Alice
Lake: Alice Lake is located 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of Port
Hardy on the Port Alice Road. Rainbow and cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden,
kokanee and coho salmon are abundant at Alice Lake.
Anutz
Lake: The lake is located at the southern end of Nimpkish Lake. Access
is found via secondary road 48 km (30 miles) south of Port McNeill. Rainbow
trout is the most abundant game fish in Anutz Lake.
Atluck
Lake: The lake is located 50 km (31 miles) south of Port McNeill via
the Atluck logging mainline off of the main road to Zeballos. Rainbow
Trout at Atluck Lake are the game fish.
Brannen
Lake: 10 km (6 mi) northwest of Nanaimo city centre. Follow Metral
Drive to Godfrey Road and posted signs to the lake. The stocking of cutthroat
and rainbow provide good fishing for species of up to 5 lbs at Brannen
Lake. Kokanee are resident in the lake.
Buttle
Lake: The lake is located in Strathcona Provincial Park and is accessed
from Highway 28 to Gold River and from the south arm of Upper Campbell
Lake. The best months to fish the lake are April-June and September-October.
Rainbow and cutthroat trout, although small, are abundant in Buttle Lake.
Crabapple
Lake: The lake is located 13 km (8 mi) northeast of Sooke town centre
via Harbourview Road to a secondary logging road. Crabapple Lake provides
excellent fly fishing for both rainbow and cutthroat trout.
Crystal
Lake: Located 8 km (5 mi) west of the Island Highway. Access is via
Spurston Road and 1.6 km (1 mi) of logging road. Cutthroat trout is stocked
in the lake. Anglers report Crystal to be an excellent fly fishing area
particularily during March-June and September October at Crystal Lake.
Doran
Lake: The lake is located 40 km (25 mi) west of Port Alberni via Hwy
#4 to a small logging road just past the west end of Sproat Lake. The
best fishing occurs in June and September-October. Doran Lake was stocked
with steelhead fry.
Dougan
Lake: Located beside and to the west of the Island Highway north of
the traffic lights at the Cobble Hill turn-off. Dougan Lake provides an
excellent fishery for both cutthroat and rainbow trout which are stocked
regularly. March-June and September-October are the most productive fishing
months.
Echo
Lake: Echo Lake is located 20 km (12.5 miles) southwest of Campbell
River via Highway 28 to Gold River. Cutthroat and rainbow trout are abundant
and rainbows are stocked at Echo Lake.
Fairy
Lake: Located near Port Renfrew, 65 km (40 mi) west of Mill Bay via
logging road from either Lake Cowichan or Port Renfrew. Fairy Lake provides
good fishing for Dolly Varden char, resident and searun cutthroat trout
particularily during May-June and September-October.
Farewell
Lake: The lake is accessible via the Menzies and Long Lake logging
mainlines which connect to the Blackwater Lake Road. Farewell is approximately
40 km (25 m) northwest of Campbell River. Cutthroat and Kokanee are the
game fish in Farewell Lake.
Flora
Lake: 55 km (34 mi) southwest of Port Alberni via Franklin, South
Main and Flora Lake logging roads. The best fishing occurs during May-June
and September-October. Rainbow trout are stocked at Flora Lake.
Georgie
Lake: This lake is located approximately 10 km (6 miles) northwest
of Port Hardy off of the Holberg Road. The Georgie Lake area is home to
some of the islands finest cutthroat fishing. Rainbow trout have been
reported although they are not abundant.
Gosling
Lake: Gosling Lake is located 20 km (12 m.) west of Campbell River
via either the Brewster Lake Road, Campbell Lake Road or Boot East Road.
Fishing for the abundant cutthroat trout will prove the most productive
during April-June and September-October at Gosling Lake.
Gracie
Lake: A short hike in lake located 20 km (12.5 mi) west of Port Alberni
via Hwy #4 and the Stirling Arm logging mainline to Nahmint Lake. The
best fishing occurs during May-June and September-October. Gracie Lake
is renowned for its excellent rainbow fishing.
Healy
Lake (Panther Lake): The lake is located 37 km (24 mi) west of Nanaimo
via the Nanaimo Lakes Road to the Branch C logging road. Healy Lake is
a small fly only lake contains rainbow trout. Fishing is good all summer
with peak months being May-June and September-October.
Henry
Lake: This small sub-alpine lake is located 26 km (16 mi) southeast
of Port Alberni via Hwy #4 to the Cameron logging mainline and a series
of secondary logging roads. Henry Lake was stocked with steelhead.
Holden
Lake: Located 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Cedar in the Yellow Point area
via Cedar Road to Hemer Provincial Park. Anglers find Holden Lake productive
for cutthroat trout and smallmouth bass year round, with peak months being
April-June and September-October.
Horne
Lake: Horne Lake is located 18 km (11 mi) west of Qualicum Beach community
via Hwy #4 and Horne Lake Road. Horne Lake was stocked with steelhead
and cutthroat trout. Kokanee and rainbow trout are resident and not uncommon.
Keogh
Lake: The lake is located 11 km (7 miles) southwest of Port McNeill
via a logging road or directly off of Hwy #19. The spring and fall months
are the best for rainbow and cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden and springs.
Keogh Lake provides shore angling oppurtunities.
Klaklakama
& Little Klaklakama Lakes: These lakes are located 75 km (47 miles)
southeast of Port McNeill and 15 km (9.5 km) east of Woss via a logging
road south off of Hwy #19. The lakes contain both cutthroat trout and
Dolly Varden. Klaklakama Lake was stocked with cutthroat trout.
Lower
Campbell Lake: The lake is located 11 km (7 mi) northwest of Campbell
River via Hwy #28. Year round fishing is possible but the best time is
during April-June and September-October. Dolly Varden, rainbow and cuttroat
trout are resident in the lake.
Lowry
Lake: Access to the lake is located 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Port
Alberni on Hwy #4 via Great Central Lake Road, the Ash River logging mainline
or the road to Thunder Mountain. Lowry Lake provides good fly-fishing
for cutthroat and rainbow trout. Kokanee are also resident in the lake.
St.
Mary Lake: St. Mary Lake is located on Saltspring Island. Regular
ferry service to the island is available from Vancouver Island. The lake
is found 3.5 km (2 mi) north of Ganges. Due to the large amount of stocking
of a variety of species, St. Mary Lake provides excellent opportunity
for the avid angler. Smallmouth bass of record sizes (8 lb) are resident
in the lake.
Matheson
Lake: Located within Matheson Lake Regional Park which is 27 km (17
mi) southwest of Victoria by way of Rocky Point Road. Matheson Lake provides
excellent fishery for smallmouth bass, cutthroat and rainbow trout.
McCreight
Lake: McCreight Lake is located 63 km (39 mi) northwest of Campbell
River via 4 km (2.5 mi) of the gravel Rock Bay Road off of Hwy #19. McCreight
Lake was stocked with cutthroat and rainbow trout. Dolly Varden char are
resident.
McKay
Lake: McKay Lake is located 16 km (10 mi) north of Ladysmith via the
Island Highway to Spurston Road, at the end of which the lake is found.
McKay Lake is stocked with cutthroat. The best fishing is reported during
March-May and October-November.
Moat
Lake: The lake is located in Strathcona Park and is accessed from
the Forbidden Plateau/Mt. Washington ski areas by marked hiking trails.
The peak fishing period at Moat Lake is from July to September when anglers
can expect to catch good sized rainbow trout which are stocked.
Muchalat
Lake: Muchalat Lake is located 19 km (11.72 mi) from Gold River. The
access road is off of the road from Gold River to Woss. Dolly Varden char,
kokanee, cutthroat and rainbow trout are resident in Muchalat Lake.
Prospect
Lake: 18 km (11 mi) northwest of Victoria via West Saanich and Prospect
Lake roads. Prospect Lake is stocked with rainbow and cutthroat trout
and provides good smallmouth bass fishery.
Quamichan
Lake: Located 3.2 km (2 mi) east of Duncan via Trunk and Indian roads.
Quamichan Lake provides excellent fishery for stocked rainbow and cutthroat
trout as well as brown bullheads (catfish). Cutthroat are reported to
sizes of up to 5 lbs. March-June and September-October are particularily
good months for anglers to try their luck.
Quinsam
Lake: The lake is located 19 km (12 mi) southwest of Campbell River
via the Duncan Bay logging mainline. The best months for fishing are April-June
and September-October when rainbow and cutthroat trout are abundant in
Quinsam Lake.
Rooney
Lake: Rooney Lake is located 28 km (17.4 mi) west of Sayward. The
lake may be accessed by either a short logging road to the campsite on
the north shore of the lake or directly from Hwy #19. This small lake
was stocked with cutthroat trout and provides an excellent fishery for
both the cutthroat and Dolly Varden char.
Silver
Lake: 32 km (20 mi) west of the Island Highway off of the Chemainus
River Road via Branch 1 off of the logging mainline. Rainbow trout are
the game fish in Silver Lake.
Snakehead
Lake: Access to the lake is a short hike from a picnic area off of
Hwy #28, approximately 30 km (18.6 mi) southwest of Campbell River. The
best fishing for the abundant cutthroat trout is during April-June and
September-October at Snakehead Lake.
Spectacle
Lake: This small lake is located 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Victoria
near the Shawnigan Lake turnoff from the Island Hwy. Spectacle Lake holds
the islands only eastern brook trout population. This species is a member
of the char family. During spawning the brook trout turns a brilliant
colour and is easily caught.
Victoria
Lake:Victoria Lake is located 60 kilometres (40 miles) southwest of
Port Hardy. Large rainbow trout and cutthroat trout can be found here.
Trolling with baitfish imitations will produce positive results. The best
time of year to visit the lake is in the spring and fall.
Willemar
Lake: The lake is located 29 km (18 mi) southwest of Courtenay and
is accessed by the Comox Lake logging mainline, past the south end of
this lake. Rainbow, cutthroat (stocked), Dolly Varden and kokanee are
abundant at Willemar Lake.
Wolf
Lake: The lake is located 16 km (10 mi) northwest of Courtenay and is
accessed from the Duncan Bay logging mainline. Fishing at Wolf Lake is excellent
during April-June and September-October. The lake is stocked with cutthroat
trout.
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