Ellswick Lake Fishing near Ucluelet, British Columbia

• Overview

  Ellswick Lake is one of the Regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot waters in British Columbia. It sits at 110 metres above sea level. With some 10 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. There is roughly 1.4 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. It lies lower than most water we list in British Columbia. Ucluelet at 22 km is the nearest place to stop. Port Alberni follows at 42 km, then Tofino at 45 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Ellswick Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot include Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and Chum salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Ellswick Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, August reads 15°C and January reads 3°C. In milder years the surface never sets. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. That is the shape of the year on Ellswick Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Kite Lake at 1 km is the nearest alternative. Where Ellswick Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.