Maynard Lake near Port McNeill: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  British Columbia holds Maynard Lake, in Regional District of Mount Waddington. This is mixed woodland ground. The water covers around 1.27 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. Around 11 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. For supplies, Port McNeill is 24 km out. Vancouver is the closest city, 320 km away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Maynard Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Regional District of Mount Waddington: Coho salmon, rainbow trout and Chinook salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The near bank of Maynard Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 14°C and December at 2°C. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. At Maynard Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is camping recorded roughly 570 m off. 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. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Benson Lake, 2 km away. Ask locally about Maynard Lake if anything is unclear.