Fishing at Junior Lake, Comox Valley Regional District, British Columbia

• Overview

  Set in Comox Valley Regional District, Junior Lake is a British Columbia water. The ground around here is open valley. The water measures roughly 6 hectares, so nothing here is far from anything else. The nearest town is Cumberland, 24 km away. Puntledge is 29 km away, with Union Bay at 31 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Junior Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name Coho salmon, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout, Chum salmon and pink salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Junior Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 14°C and December about 0°C. Fishing continues through most of the calendar, with quiet spells rather than closures. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Junior Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Toy Lake is 1.4 km off. Where Junior Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.