Butterfly Lake near Squamish: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Out in Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, British Columbia, sits Butterfly Lake. It sits 24 km in from the sea. The water covers some 11 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Roughly 2.2 km of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. Start from Squamish, 24 km down the road. Then Whistler, 28 km, and Lions Bay, 52 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Butterfly Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Squamish-Lillooet Regional District include Coho salmon, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and Chum salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Butterfly Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 14°C; the cold one sits at -4°C. Whether it freezes depends on the year. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. At Butterfly Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Public data records a pier about 140 m out. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Starvation Lake, 2 km away. Ask locally about Butterfly Lake if anything is unclear.