Leader lake, British Columbia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Leader lake is a Regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot water, British Columbia side. Land around it is rolling hill. Roughly 59 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. There is roughly 4.9 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Tofino is the closest town at 39 km. Cumberland is 44 km away, with Puntledge at 48 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Leader lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. 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. County-wide records name Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Chum salmon, Coho salmon and rainbow trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Leader lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 12°C at the top of summer and -1°C at the bottom of winter. Mild ends to the year keep the season long. 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. It holds true on Leader lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Beauty Lake, 3 km out. Check the position on Leader lake before loading the car.