Patterson Lake near Port Alberni: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Patterson Lake lies in Regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot, British Columbia. It stands 90 metres above sea level. It measures about 18 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. With about 3.6 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our British Columbia listings. Port Alberni is the closest town at 18 km. Then Denman Island, 24 km, and Bowser, 25 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Patterson Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot records list Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and Chum salmon among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Patterson Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 16°C; the cold one sits at 1°C. Whether it freezes depends on the year. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Patterson Lake. Falling water concentrates fish into the deeper parts.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Somers Lake is 1.1 km off. What applies at Patterson Lake may have changed since it was mapped.