Elk / Beaver Lake
MU 1-1, Vancouver Island
48.5294° N, 123.3983° W
- Surface area
- 46ha
- Elevation
- 60m
Victoria's most popular freshwater fishery, heavily stocked with fast-growing rainbow trout.
Open Elk / Beaver Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at Elk / Beaver Lake
Elk / Beaver Lake is known for trophy Smallmouth bass to 6 lb.
- Smallmouth bass to 6 lb
- Rainbow trout to 6 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.
Elk / Beaver Lake at a glance
- Region
- Vancouver Island
- Management unit
- MU 1-1
- Species
- Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Cutthroat Trout (Anadromous), Yellow Perch, Carp, Brown Catfish (formerly Brown Bullhead), Pumpkinseed, Prickly Sculpin, Threespine Stickleback (last recorded 1995), Bass/Sunfish (General) (last recorded 1976), Black Catfish (formerly Black Bullhead) (last recorded 1976)The newest of these fish records is from 2026.Species from the province's fish observation records.
- Lake size
- Small Water (< 50 ha)
- Ice fishing
- No ice fishing closure on file
- Coordinates
- 48.5294, -123.3983
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Gear for smallmouth bass
Lines, leaders, lures and flies for smallmouth bass, searched on Amazon.ca.
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What people catch at Elk / Beaver Lake
A multi species lake outside Victoria. Catchable rainbows are stocked and the ones that are not caught straight away grow on. The biggest fish in it are the carp, up to 15 lb, and there is bass through the summer.
- Rainbow Trout Stocked, with holdovers
Typically catchable size at release
Bigger fish: some are not caught right away and grow much larger
Source: Fishing with Rod - Common Carp Wild
Typically up to 15 lb
Fished from the shore paths and beaches with corn or dough.
Source: Fishing with Rod - Smallmouth Bass Wild
Typically good from early spring through to late fall
Source: Fishing with Rod
The rule that shapes it. Beaver Lake: Smallmouth bass daily quota = 4; engine power restriction - 7.5 kW (10 hp), no towing on parts. Elk Lake: Smallmouth bass daily quota = 4; Engine power restriction on parts - 7.5 kW (10 hp); no vessels on parts, no powered boats on parts, no towing on parts; A wheelchair accessible fishing pier is located on the lake's northwest shore via Brookleigh Road. Source: Province of British Columbia
Fish on record at Elk / Beaver Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smallmouth Bass | 1973 | 2005 | 8 |
| Rainbow Trout | 1924 | 2026 | 350 |
| Cutthroat Trout | 1923 | 2007 | 26 |
| Cutthroat Trout (Anadromous) | 1955 | 2005 | 11 |
| Yellow Perch | 2001 | 2002 | 3 |
| Carp | 2001 | 2005 | 3 |
| Brown Catfish (formerly Brown Bullhead) | 1969 | 2005 | 7 |
| Pumpkinseed | 1973 | 2005 | 6 |
| Prickly Sculpin | 1969 | 2002 | 5 |
| Threespine Stickleback | 1995 | 1995 | 1 |
| Bass/Sunfish (General) | 1976 | 1976 | 1 |
| Black Catfish (formerly Black Bullhead) | 1976 | 1976 | 1 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
How to fish Elk / Beaver Lake
Trolling wedding bands and Dick Nite spoons, chironomid fly fishing in spring, leech patterns.
Best times of year at Elk / Beaver Lake
- March - June
- September - November
Elk / Beaver Lake fishing regulations
Beaver Lake: Smallmouth bass daily quota = 4; engine power restriction - 7.5 kW (10 hp), no towing on parts. Elk Lake: Smallmouth bass daily quota = 4; Engine power restriction on parts - 7.5 kW (10 hp); no vessels on parts, no powered boats on parts, no towing on parts; A wheelchair accessible fishing pier is located on the lake's northwest shore via Brookleigh Road. Source: Province of British Columbia
Getting to Elk / Beaver Lake
Victoria / Saanich. Multiple concrete boat launches, fishing docks, row club ramps.
2.6 km of traced road to the shore by way of Starling Lane and Old West Saanich Rd. The road at the end is a loose surface. It stops 600 m short of the shore.
Coordinates: 48.5294, -123.3983
The ice year at Elk / Beaver Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Elk / Beaver Lake froze in only 20 of the 65 winters since 1960, too few to give it usual dates.
No ice fishing closure is recorded for Elk / Beaver 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.
Elk / Beaver Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Elk / Beaver Lake is 0.8 C warmer than it was in the 1960s. That is 66 years of daily readings, not a forecast.
- +0.8 Csince the 1960s
- 9.5 Caverage year now
- 8.7 Caverage year then
- -3 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Elk / Beaver 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 | Partly cloudy | 16° / 5° | 16 km/h, gusts 26 | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 19° / 8° | 10 km/h | dry | Falling (-5.0 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Overcast | 13° / 6° | 7 km/h | dry | Steady |
| Fri 23 Oct | Clear sky | 13° / 5° | 9 km/h | dry | Rising (+10.2 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Overcast | 12° / 5° | 10 km/h | dry | Rising (+2.5 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Overcast | 14° / 6° | 13 km/h, gusts 20 | dry | Falling (-1.4 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Overcast | 13° / 6° | 10 km/h, gusts 17 | dry | Steady |
Elk / Beaver Lake, in brief
What fish are in Elk / Beaver Lake?
Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Cutthroat Trout (Anadromous), Yellow Perch. Species from the province's fish observation records.
Which management unit is Elk / Beaver Lake in?
Elk / Beaver Lake is in MU 1-1, on Vancouver Island. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Elk / Beaver Lake
- Prospect Lake 4 km away
- Durrance Lake 6 km away
- Prior Lake 8 km away
- Thetis Lake 9 km away
- Langford Lake 13 km away
All 193 lakes on Vancouver Island, with today's conditions on each.