Paterson Lake
MU 1-10, Vancouver Island
50.0594° N, 125.6559° W
- Surface area
- 190.9ha
- Maximum depth
- 40m
- 131 ft. Province survey, 1976
- Elevation
- 259m
Open Paterson Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Paterson Lake at a glance
- Region
- Vancouver Island
- Management unit
- MU 1-10
- Species
- Cutthroat Trout (last recorded 1990), Dolly Varden (last recorded 1990), Kokanee (last recorded 1990), Chinook Salmon (last recorded 1970), Chum Salmon (last recorded 1970), Coho Salmon (last recorded 1970), Pink Salmon (last recorded 1970), Sockeye Salmon (last recorded 1970), Steelhead (last recorded 1970)The newest of these fish records is from 1990.Species from the province's fish observation records.
- Lake size
- Medium Lake (50 - 500 ha)
- Coordinates
- 50.059435, -125.655913
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Fish on record at Paterson Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cutthroat Trout | 1970 | 1990 | 4 |
| Dolly Varden | 1975 | 1990 | 2 |
| Kokanee | 1975 | 1990 | 2 |
| Chinook Salmon | 1970 | 1970 | 1 |
| Chum Salmon | 1970 | 1970 | 1 |
| Coho Salmon | 1970 | 1970 | 1 |
| Pink Salmon | 1970 | 1970 | 1 |
| Sockeye Salmon | 1970 | 1970 | 1 |
| Steelhead | 1970 | 1970 | 1 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
Paterson Lake fishing regulations
We have no lake specific regulations on file for Paterson Lake yet.
Getting to Paterson Lake
Coordinates: 50.059435, -125.655913
Camping and rec sites at Paterson Lake
- Paterson Lake
No campsite count on file (BC Recreation Sites and Trails)
Depth chart for Paterson Lake
40 mdeepest13.8 mmean
Paterson Lake runs to 40 m (131 ft) at its deepest, by the Province survey, 1976.
The mean of 13.8 m (45 ft) is read off the same chart, surveyed in March 1976.
The Province sounded Paterson Lake and published the depth chart surveyed in 1976.
The ice year at Paterson Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Paterson Lake froze in 54 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 3 December and 10 January, and ice-off between 26 January and 26 March. The median winter freezes on 21 December and opens on 21 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 25 February 2025, 24 days.
We have no ice fishing regulation on file for Paterson Lake either way. Check the current BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis before you plan a trip.
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.
Paterson Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Paterson 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
- 7.2 Caverage year now
- 6.4 Caverage year then
- -11 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Paterson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 13° / 6° | 9 km/h | dry | Steady |
| Thu 22 Oct | Overcast | 12° / 4° | 22 km/h, gusts 47 | dry | Rising (+4.3 hPa) |
| Fri 23 Oct | Slight rain | 11° / 2° | 16 km/h | dry | Rising (+9.3 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Heavy rain | 6° / 3° | 17 km/h, gusts 64 | 41 mm | Falling (-2.4 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Moderate rain | 11° / 5° | 7 km/h, gusts 25 | 4 mm | Falling (-3.0 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Overcast | 16° / 5° | 10 km/h | dry | Falling (-4.0 hPa) |
| Tue 27 Oct | Partly cloudy | 14° / 4° | 3 km/h, gusts 17 | dry | Rising (+5.2 hPa) |
Paterson Lake, in brief
What fish are in Paterson Lake?
Cutthroat Trout (last recorded 1990), Dolly Varden (last recorded 1990), Kokanee (last recorded 1990), Chinook Salmon (last recorded 1970), Chum Salmon (last recorded 1970), Coho Salmon (last recorded 1970), Pink Salmon (last recorded 1970), Sockeye Salmon (last recorded 1970), Steelhead (last recorded 1970). Species from the province's fish observation records.
How big is Paterson Lake?
Paterson Lake covers about 190.9 ha, by the province's Freshwater Atlas.
Which management unit is Paterson Lake in?
Paterson Lake is in MU 1-10, on Vancouver Island. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Paterson Lake
- Garrett Lake 2 km away
- Martha Lake 4 km away
- Gray Lake 4 km away
- Lawson Lake 6 km away
- Fry Lake 7 km away
All 193 lakes on Vancouver Island, with today's conditions on each.