McLoughlin Lake in Central Coast Regional District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  McLoughlin Lake lies within the bounds of Central Coast Regional District, British Columbia. Height above sea level is 17 metres. The edge runs 3.9 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. On size it sits at the modest end of our Central Coast Regional District list. Bella Bella is the closest place, 2.2 km off. Bella Coola follows at 99 km, then Port Hardy at 165 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on McLoughlin Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Central Coast Regional District records list Chum salmon, pink salmon, Coho salmon, sockeye salmon and Chinook salmon among the fish reported. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The near bank of McLoughlin Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August near 15°C and January near 4°C on the long-run figures. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. 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. The season on McLoughlin Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A carry of 1.1 km from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. There is a mapped landing stage 1.2 km away. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Croil Lake, 4.1 km away, makes the obvious fallback. The position on McLoughlin Lake is worth confirming on the day.