Fishing at Blue Lake, Cowichan Valley Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  Blue Lake lies within the bounds of Cowichan Valley Regional District, British Columbia. The land about it is mixed woodland. With 5.1 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. It lies lower than most water we list in British Columbia. Nearest place of any size is Ucluelet, 52 km away. After that come Youbou at 54 km and Port Alberni at 57 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Blue Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across Cowichan Valley Regional District include Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and Coho salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Blue Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in August and bottom out at 4°C in January. The year turns gently, without extremes at either end. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Anyone fishing Blue Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, Tsusiat Lake is 2.7 km off. Where Blue Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.