Ellen Lake Fishing near Port McNeill, British Columbia

• Overview

  The Regional District of Mount Waddington entry here is Ellen Lake, in British Columbia. The shore lies 3.2 km out. Surface area is around 16 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The edge runs 2.4 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Ground here is low by British Columbia standards. Port McNeill lies 39 km from the water. After that come Port Hardy at 41 km and Gold River at 145 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Ellen Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Regional District of Mount Waddington include Coho salmon, rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and Chum salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Anyone new to Ellen Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 2°C and August at about 15°C, the water has a wide range to work through. A long season, with weather mattering more than the month. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Ellen Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Irvine Lake, 1.9 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Signs at Ellen Lake carry more weight than any list.