Nitinat Lake
MU 1-3, Vancouver Island
48.7383° N, 124.7608° W
- Surface area
- 2709ha
- Maximum depth
- 205m
- 673 ft
Open Nitinat Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at Nitinat Lake
Nitinat Lake is known for trophy Coastal cutthroat trout to 6 lb.
- Coastal cutthroat 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.
Nitinat Lake at a glance
- Region
- Vancouver Island
- Management unit
- MU 1-3
- Species
- Coastal Cutthroat Trout (last recorded 1993), Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon (last recorded 1995), Coho Salmon (last recorded 1995), Chum Salmon (last recorded 1962), Sockeye Salmon (last recorded 1962), Coastrange Sculpin (formerly Aleutian Sculpin) (last recorded 1962), Prickly Sculpin (last recorded 1962), Staghorn Sculpin (last recorded 1962), Starry Flounder (last recorded 1962), Threespine Stickleback (last recorded 1962)The newest of these fish records is from 1995.Species from the province's fish observation records.
- Lake size
- Large Water (> 500 ha)
- Ice fishing
- Open to ice fishing, confirmed
- Coordinates
- 48.7383, -124.7608
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Gear for coastal cutthroat trout
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Fish on record at Nitinat Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinook Salmon | 1995 | 1995 | 1 |
| Coho Salmon | 1995 | 1995 | 1 |
| Chum Salmon | 1962 | 1962 | 1 |
| Sockeye Salmon | 1962 | 1962 | 1 |
| Coastrange Sculpin (formerly Aleutian Sculpin) | 1962 | 1962 | 1 |
| Prickly Sculpin | 1962 | 1962 | 1 |
| Staghorn Sculpin | 1962 | 1962 | 1 |
| Starry Flounder | 1962 | 1962 | 1 |
| Threespine Stickleback | 1962 | 1962 | 1 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
How to fish Nitinat Lake
Best times of year at Nitinat Lake
- May - June
- September - October
Nitinat Lake fishing regulations
Note: Nitinat Lake is tidal water; tidal regulations apply and a (federal) Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence is required. Source: Province of British Columbia
Getting to Nitinat Lake
83.5 km of traced road to the campground by way of 10th Ave, 11th Ave, unsigned, South Shore Rd, Renfrew Hookup FSR, Caycuse Gordon River Hookup, Gordon River Mainline and Gordon River Rd. The road at the end is a loose surface.
Coordinates: 48.7383, -124.7608
Camping and rec sites at Nitinat Lake
- Nitinat Lake
- To the shore
- 121 m
No campsite count on file (BC Recreation Sites and Trails)
Coordinates: 48.805093, -124.678585
Depth chart for Nitinat Lake
205 mdeepest
Nitinat Lake runs to 205 m (673 ft) at its deepest.
The Province sounded Nitinat Lake and published the depth chart surveyed in 1972. It runs to 2 sheets.
The ice year at Nitinat Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
The model treats Nitinat 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 22 of 65 winters since 1960.
Nitinat 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.
Nitinat Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Nitinat Lake is 0.5 C warmer than it was in the 1960s. That is 66 years of daily readings, not a forecast.
- +0.5 Csince the 1960s
- 10.5 Caverage year now
- 10.0 Caverage year then
- -4 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Nitinat 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 | Clear sky | 15° / 5° | 9 km/h, gusts 18 | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 16° / 8° | 6 km/h | dry | Falling (-4.6 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Overcast | 14° / 8° | 8 km/h | dry | Steady |
| Fri 23 Oct | Overcast | 15° / 5° | 10 km/h | dry | Rising (+10.0 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Overcast | 16° / 6° | 8 km/h | dry | Rising (+1.8 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Overcast | 18° / 7° | 9 km/h | dry | Falling (-1.6 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Overcast | 19° / 9° | 9 km/h | dry | Steady |
Nitinat Lake, in brief
What fish are in Nitinat Lake?
Coastal Cutthroat Trout (last recorded 1993), Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon (last recorded 1995), Coho Salmon (last recorded 1995), Chum Salmon (last recorded 1962), Sockeye Salmon (last recorded 1962). Species from the province's fish observation records.
Which management unit is Nitinat Lake in?
Nitinat Lake is in MU 1-3, on Vancouver Island. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Nitinat Lake
- Doobah Lake 2 km away
- Flora Lake 14 km away
- Sarita Lake 21 km away
- Pachena Lake 22 km away
- Francis Lake 24 km away
All 193 lakes on Vancouver Island, with today's conditions on each.