Ida Lake
MU 1-11, Vancouver Island
50.4511° N, 126.8128° W
- Surface area
- 101.3ha
- Maximum depth
- 20m
- 66 ft. Province survey, 1980
- Elevation
- 263m
Open Ida Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Ida Lake at a glance
- Region
- Vancouver Island
- Management unit
- MU 1-11
- Species
- Coastal Cutthroat Trout (last recorded 1980), Rainbow Trout (last recorded 1988), Dolly Varden (last recorded 1995), Kokanee (last recorded 1988), Steelhead (last recorded 1995), Coho Salmon (last recorded 1995), Sockeye Salmon (last recorded 1980)The newest of these fish records is from 1995.Species from the province's fish observation records.
- Lake size
- Medium Lake (50 - 500 ha)
- Ice fishing
- Open to ice fishing, confirmed
- Coordinates
- 50.4511, -126.8128
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Fish on record at Ida Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 1980 | 1988 | 2 |
| Dolly Varden | 1995 | 1995 | 1 |
| Kokanee | 1988 | 1988 | 1 |
| Steelhead | 1980 | 1995 | 2 |
| Coho Salmon | 1995 | 1995 | 1 |
| Sockeye Salmon | 1980 | 1980 | 1 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
How to fish Ida Lake
Best times of year at Ida Lake
- May - June
- September - October
Ida Lake fishing regulations
No trout over 50 cm; bait ban, single barbless hook. Source: Province of British Columbia
Getting to Ida Lake
Coordinates: 50.4511, -126.8128
Camping and rec sites at Ida Lake
- Ida Lake
- Campsites
- 8 designated
Depth chart for Ida Lake
20 mdeepest3.5 mmean
Ida Lake runs to 20 m (66 ft) at its deepest, by the Province survey, 1980.
The mean of 3.5 m (11 ft) is read off the same chart, surveyed in July 1980.
The Province sounded Ida Lake and published the depth chart surveyed in 1980.
The ice year at Ida Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Ida Lake froze in 54 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 9 December and 18 January, and ice-off between 18 January and 10 March. The median winter freezes on 27 December and opens on 9 February.
the middle half of modelled winters the median ice cover in the median winter
Winter 2024-25 in the model: frozen from 1 February 2025 to 22 February 2025, 21 days.
Ida Lake is open to ice fishing under the regulations on file.
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.
Ida Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Ida Lake is 0.9 C warmer than it was in the 1960s. That is 66 years of daily readings, not a forecast.
- +0.9 Csince the 1960s
- 4.6 Caverage year now
- 3.7 Caverage year then
- -23 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Ida 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 | 12° / 5° | 6 km/h, gusts 19 | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Slight rain showers | 12° / 4° | 6 km/h, gusts 18 | 6 mm | Falling (-6.2 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Light drizzle | 10° / 5° | 15 km/h, gusts 39 | 1 mm | Rising (+6.5 hPa) |
| Fri 23 Oct | Overcast | 9° / 3° | 8 km/h, gusts 22 | dry | Rising (+7.2 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Slight rain | 7° / 5° | 9 km/h, gusts 20 | 26 mm | Falling (-2.9 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Overcast | 15° / 6° | 9 km/h, gusts 21 | dry | Falling (-2.0 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Overcast | 15° / 8° | 4 km/h, gusts 13 | dry | Steady |
Ida Lake, in brief
What fish are in Ida Lake?
Coastal Cutthroat Trout (last recorded 1980), Rainbow Trout (last recorded 1988), Dolly Varden (last recorded 1995), Kokanee (last recorded 1988), Steelhead (last recorded 1995), Coho Salmon (last recorded 1995), Sockeye Salmon (last recorded 1980). Species from the province's fish observation records.
Which management unit is Ida Lake in?
Ida Lake is in MU 1-11, on Vancouver Island. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Ida Lake
- Bonanza Lake 9 km away
- Nimpkish Lake 13 km away
- Roselle Lake 15 km away
- Anutz Lake 18 km away
- Fickle Lake 23 km away
All 193 lakes on Vancouver Island, with today's conditions on each.