Region 1
Trout fishing on Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island fishes early and late.
Kennedy Lake. Photo: Vankathryn, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped.
193 lakes, 40 with live conditionsUpdated 11 September
The coastal lakes lose their ice first in the province, often by March, and many never freeze at all, so the season here opens while the Interior is still white. Expect coastal cutthroat alongside the rainbows, small stocked lakes close to the towns, and bigger wild water up the logging roads. The forecast to watch is rain more than wind: a Pacific front can make or break a weekend.
Vancouver Island holds 193 of the 1,842 stillwaters on BC Trout Finder, the water most people mean when they search for trout fishing near Nanaimo, Campbell River and Victoria. 31 of them are trophy class. 91 have a rec site or campground on the shore. Depths run from 1.5 m to 320 m.
- 193lakes on their own coordinates
- 91with a rec site or campground on the shore
- 31trophy waters
- 320 mthe deepest lake on record here
Open the live mapEvery lake on Vancouver Island on one map, with the week ahead on each.
Fishing best on Vancouver Island right now
Our 1 to 100 score on each lake's own coordinate, highest first. Rebuilt every morning.
- 96Spectacle Lake16° / 10° · wind 11
Best day Friday, 96
- 96Durrance Lake18° / 10° · wind 9
Best day Friday, 96
- 96Elk / Beaver Lake17° / 9° · wind 10
Best day Friday, 96
- 96Matheson Lake19° / 10° · wind 12
Best day Friday, 96
- 96Crabapple Lake16° / 9° · wind 12
Best day Friday, 96
- 96Dougan Lake19° / 10° · wind 10
Best day Sunday, 99
What is on Vancouver Island
- 193 lakes mapped on their own coordinates
- 53 with a depth and a sourced regulation on file
- 31 trophy class waters, fish in the 5 lb and up range
- 91 have camping at a rec site or provincial park
- 143 open to ice fishing under the regulations on file
Best trophy trout lakes on Vancouver Island
- Amor Lake
- Bonanza Lake
- Brannen Lake
10 km (6 mi) northwest of Nanaimo city centre. Follow Metral Drive to Godfrey Road and posted signs to 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.
- Cameron Lake
Spectacular deep lake carved between Mount Arrowsmith and Mount Wesley, holding rare monster Brown Trout and wild Rainbows.
- Comox Lake
Vast, deep mountain reservoir near Cumberland offering deep-trolling for wild Island trout.
- Cowichan Lake
One of Vancouver Island's premier large freshwater lakes offering wild rainbow and cutthroat action year-round.
- Cowichan Lake (Including Bear Lake)
Cowichan Lake (Including Bear Lake) sits in the Vancouver Island region, a medium lake (50 - 500 ha) with access typical of the region. Use the map view for exact coordinates and turn-by-turn directions.
- Elk / Beaver Lake
Victoria's most popular freshwater fishery, heavily stocked with fast-growing rainbow trout.
- Glen Lake
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Every lake we cover on Vancouver Island, with today's conditions
| Lake | Score | High / low | Wind | Max depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spectacle Lake | 96 | 16° / 10° | 11 | Not surveyed |
| Durrance Lake | 96 | 18° / 10° | 9 | 16.0 m |
| Elk / Beaver Lake | 96 | 17° / 9° | 10 | Not surveyed |
| Matheson Lake | 96 | 19° / 10° | 12 | 5 m |
| Prior Lake | 95 | 18° / 10° | 9 | Not surveyed |
| Crabapple Lake | 96 | 16° / 9° | 12 | Not surveyed |
| Dougan Lake | 96 | 19° / 10° | 10 | 22 m |
| Fuller Lake | 96 | 19° / 10° | 14 | 17.1 m |
| Kemp Lake | 96 | 19° / 10° | 12 | 11 m |
| Langford Lake | 96 | 18° / 10° | 9 | 17 m |
| Quamichan Lake | 95 | 20° / 9° | 9 | 8.2 m |
| Thetis Lake | 95 | 18° / 10° | 8 | Not surveyed |
| Healy Lake (Panther Lake) | 96 | 16° / 8° | 11 | 5.5 m |
| Keogh Lake | 92 | 17° / 10° | 12 | 43.3 m |
| Maynard Lake | 87 | 18° / 10° | 8 | 39.3 m |
| Prospect Lake | 96 | 18° / 11° | 10 | 14 m |
| Shawnigan Lake | 96 | 18° / 9° | 11 | 52 m |
| St. Mary Lake | 96 | 20° / 10° | 9 | 16.7 m |
| Three Isle Lake | 95 | 18° / 10° | 7 | Not surveyed |
| Echo Lake | 95 | 17° / 8° | 11 | 14.0 m |
| Fairy Lake | 95 | 19° / 10° | 10 | 5 m |
| Glen Lake | 95 | 18° / 10° | 9 | 14.0 m |
| John Hart Lake | 93 | 17° / 9° | 9 | Not surveyed |
| Kathleen Lake | 96 | 18° / 11° | 6 | 62.0 m |
| Lois Lake | 92 | 14° / 7° | 10 | Not surveyed |
| Reginald Lake | 96 | 16° / 8° | 10 | Not surveyed |
| Roselle Lake | 96 | 18° / 10° | 8 | 6 m |
| Silver Lake | 91 | 13° / 6° | 9 | 1.5 m |
| Spider Lake | 95 | 18° / 10° | 10 | 12.7 m |
| Tadjiss Lake | 94 | 17° / 7° | 8 | 5.5 m |
| Victoria Lake | 71 | 18° / 11° | 10 | 109.73 m |
| Westwood Lake | 96 | 19° / 10° | 13 | 7.01 m |
| Bonanza Lake | 64 | 18° / 10° | 9 | 160.9 m |
| Brannen Lake | 91 | 19° / 11° | 13 | 21 m |
| Comox Lake | 87 | 19° / 11° | 12 | 109 m |
| Cusheon Lake | 96 | 18° / 10° | 12 | 9.1 m |
| D Lake | 96 | 18° / 11° | 9 | Not surveyed |
| Diver Lake | 95 | 19° / 9° | 10 | 7 m |
| Flora Lake | 96 | 18° / 9° | 9 | Not surveyed |
| Holland Lake | 93 | 14° / 7° | 10 | Not surveyed |
| Horne Lake | − | − | − | 50 m |
| Maple Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Maxwell Lake (Lake Maxwell) | − | − | − | 17.0 m |
| Mckenzie Lake | − | − | − | 5.1 m |
| Quennell Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Rooney Lake | − | − | − | 21 m |
| Snakehead Lake | − | − | − | 9 m |
| Stowell Lake (Lake Stowell) | − | − | − | 7 m |
| Weston Lake | − | − | − | 12.2 m |
| Amor Lake | − | − | − | 48.77 m |
| Anderson Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Antler Lake | − | − | − | 10.36 m |
| Anutz Lake | − | − | − | 41.5 m |
| Atluck Lake | − | − | − | 77.4 m |
| Bainbridge Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Beaver Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Blackburn Lake | − | − | − | 4.6 m |
| Brewster Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Buttle Lake | − | − | − | 120 m |
| Cameron Lake | − | − | − | 43 m |
| Comida Lake | − | − | − | 4.0 m |
| Cowichan Lake | − | − | − | 160 m |
| Cowichan Lake (Including Bear Lake) | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Crystal Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Dickson Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Donner Lake | − | − | − | 164.0 m |
| Drum Lakes | − | − | − | 24 m |
| Fickle Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Francis Lake | − | − | − | 41 m |
| Gosling Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Great Central Lake | − | − | − | 250 m |
| Harewood (Extension) Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Henry Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Holden Lake | − | − | − | 6.4 m |
| Illusion Lakes | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| June Lake | − | − | − | 6.7 m |
| Labour Day Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Larry Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Lower Campbell Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Lowry Lake | − | − | − | 11 m |
| Makii (Maggie) Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Mckay Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Merrill Lake | − | − | − | 29 m |
| Michael Lake | − | − | − | 8.0 m |
| Misty Lake | − | − | − | 6.71 m |
| Morte Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Muchalat Lake | − | − | − | 62.2 m |
| Panther Lake | − | − | − | 21 m |
| Quinsam Lake | − | − | − | 21.6 m |
| Stocking Lake | − | − | − | 26.2 m |
| Surprise Lake | − | − | − | 17.0 m |
| Tlools Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Tlowils Lake | − | − | − | 18.6 m |
| Toquaht (Toquart) Lake | − | − | − | 37.5 m |
| Toy Lake | − | − | − | 4.9 m |
| Upper Campbell Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Village Bay Lake | − | − | − | 14 m |
| Willemar Lake | − | − | − | 18.5 m |
| Wolf Lake | − | − | − | 39 m |
| Adelaide Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Bear Lake | − | − | − | 8.8 m |
| Beaufort Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Blackwater Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Boot Lake | − | − | − | 32 m |
| Broughton Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Bughouse Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Bull Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Cedar Lake | − | − | − | 20.7 m |
| Chicadee Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Claud Elliott Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Clear Lake (Quadra Island) | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Crane Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Crescent Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Dimple Lake | − | − | − | 9.1 m |
| Doobah Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Doran Lake | − | − | − | 32 m |
| Esary Lake | − | − | − | 6.7 m |
| Farewell Lake | − | − | − | 16.5 m |
| Father and Son Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Forbush Lake | − | − | − | 30.0 m |
| Fry Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Garrett Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Georgie Lake | − | − | − | 42.4 m |
| Gold Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Gracie Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Graham Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Gray Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Gunflint Lake | − | − | − | 20.3 m |
| Hague Lake | − | − | − | 14.0 m |
| Hawarth Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Higgens Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Ida Lake | − | − | − | 20.0 m |
| Irving Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Jasper Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Jessie Lake | − | − | − | 19.0 m |
| Kakweiken Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Kennedy Lake | − | − | − | 145 m |
| Klaklakama Lakes | − | − | − | 21.95 m |
| Lake of the Mountains | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Lawson Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Little Lost Lake | − | − | − | 5.5 m |
| Little Main Lake (Quadra Island) | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Lizard Lake | − | − | − | 15.5 m |
| Lizard Pond | − | − | − | 4 m |
| Long Lake (Nanaimo) | − | − | − | 14 m |
| Main Lake (Quadra Island) | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Malaspina Lake | − | − | − | 12.3 m |
| Martha Lake | − | − | − | 10.5 m |
| Mayo Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Mccreight Lake | − | − | − | 55 m |
| Mcnair Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Megin Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Mine Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Moat Lake | − | − | − | 84 m |
| Mohun Lake | − | − | − | 43.0 m |
| Morton Lake | − | − | − | 15 m |
| Muskeg Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Myra Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Nahmint Lake | − | − | − | 150.0 m |
| Nahwitti Lake | − | − | − | 48.5 m |
| Nanaimo Lakes | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Nanaimo Lakes | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Nimpkish Lake | − | − | − | 320 m |
| Nitinat Lake | − | − | − | 205 m |
| Nola Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| O'Connell Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Pachena Lake | − | − | − | 26.2 m |
| Paterson Lake | − | − | − | 40.0 m |
| Perry Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Priest Lake | − | − | − | 10.36 m |
| Pye Lake | − | − | − | 83.0 m |
| Regan Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Roberts Lake | − | − | − | 53 m |
| Rosen Lake (Read Island) | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Rowbotham Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Sarita Lake | − | − | − | 30.2 m |
| Skull Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Soatwoon Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Songhees Lake | − | − | − | 18 m |
| Spirit Lake | − | − | − | 21.0 m |
| Sproat Lake | − | − | − | 195 m |
| Star Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Stella Lake | − | − | − | 42.5 m |
| Stewart Lake | − | − | − | 27.0 m |
| Stramberg Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Tsable Lake | − | − | − | 32.5 m |
| Twaddle Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Twin Lake | − | − | − | 16.8 m |
| Twin Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
| Vernon Lake | − | − | − | 114 m |
| Woss Lake | − | − | − | 153.6 m |
| Wowo Lake | − | − | − | 10 m |
| Zeballos Lake | − | − | − | Not surveyed |
A dash means we have no observed forecast for that lake right now. We would rather leave it blank than fill it in.
Trout lakes near towns on Vancouver Island
Reading the water
Other BC fishing regions
Data from the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis, and Sites and Trails BC.