Mercs Lake near Cumberland: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Mercs Lake is a Regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot water, British Columbia side. The setting is farm and woodlot on every side. With some 26 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. About 2.4 km of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Cumberland lies 33 km from the water. Richmond sits 161 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Mercs Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. 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. Fish documented in Regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot include Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and Chum salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Mercs Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 1°C to 16°C. The year turns gently, without extremes at either end. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Expect Mercs Lake to follow that timing. Early and late in the day beat the middle for most of the year.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. View Lake at 2.2 km is the sensible second choice. Confirm before you fish Mercs Lake.