Benson Lake Fishing near Port McNeill, British Columbia

• Overview

  Benson Lake falls in Regional District of Mount Waddington, part of British Columbia. The coast is 14 km away. It measures about 77 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. At about 5.0 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. It lies lower than most water we list in British Columbia. For supplies, Port McNeill is 25 km out. For a city, Vancouver is 322 km off. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Benson Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Regional District of Mount Waddington, recorded fish include Coho salmon, rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and sockeye salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Benson Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 14°C in August and bottoms out near 2°C in December. Whether it freezes depends on the year. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Time your trip to Benson Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Maynard Lake is 2 km off. For Benson Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.