Hayward Lake near Whonnock: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Hayward Lake sits within Fraser Valley Regional District in British Columbia. The bank is 49 metres above sea level. At 2.79 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. With 16 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Size puts it in the front rank of our Fraser Valley Regional District list. Whonnock lies 6.8 km from the water. The big place round here is Abbotsford, 19 km distant. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Hayward Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Open biodiversity records for Fraser Valley Regional District list white sturgeon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon and Chum salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Hayward Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 2°C to 17°C. Mild ends to the year keep the season long. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Time your trip to Hayward Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A jetty or pier is mapped about 1.1 km from here. 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, Rolley Lake is 4.3 km off. What applies at Hayward Lake may have changed since it was mapped.