Blackburn Lake in Capital Regional District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Capital Regional District end of British Columbia holds Blackburn Lake. Elevation runs to 106 metres. At 3 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Ground here is low by British Columbia standards. You are 3.7 km from Ganges. The nearest city of size is Saanich, 31 km away. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Blackburn Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Capital Regional District include Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Chum salmon, walleye pollock and rainbow trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Take Blackburn Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 16°C at the top of summer and 4°C at the bottom of winter. A long season, with weather mattering more than the month. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. It holds true on Blackburn Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is a jetty 150 m off, worth knowing on a busy day. Blackburn Lake Nature Reserve covers this ground, which means extra rules to check. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Cusheon Lake at 1.4 km is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Blackburn Lake before loading the car.