Memory Lake near Cumberland: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Look for Memory Lake in the Comox Valley Regional District part of British Columbia. Rolling hill runs right down to the water. At about 98 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Bank access stretches around 4.8 km in total. Few waters listed in Comox Valley Regional District are bigger. The nearest town is Cumberland, 25 km away. The big place round here is Vancouver, 168 km distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Memory Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Comox Valley Regional District cover Coho salmon, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout and Chum salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Memory Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between December at about -2°C and August at about 11°C, the water has a wide range to work through. A lid forms in a hard winter only. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Expect Memory Lake to follow that timing. Fish feed harder before a change in weather than after it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Duncan Lake, 1.8 km away. The position on Memory Lake is worth confirming on the day.