Southern Vancouver Island’s Top Stocked Lakes
A mild climate makes Vancouver Island’s freshwater lakes prime fishing territory year ’round, especially the lakes near Victoria. To maximize angling success, the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC stocks these lakes frequently (some up to four times a year), making them ideal for novices and families.
Find good fishing close to B.C.’s provincial capital at these easily accessible lakes.
1. Elk/ Beaver Lake
Known as Victoria’s freshwater playground, adjoining Elk and Beaver lakes offer a great diversity of aquatic activities throughout the year. Swimmers, windsurfers, sailors, water-skiers, rowers, and paddlers share the well-stocked waters with anglers. The Capital Regional District (CRD) manages this multi-use recreation area, situated in the Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park.
Fish species in Elk/Beaver Lake: Rainbow trout, coastal cutthroat trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, catfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, common carp, and yellow perch.
Fish stocking: rainbow trout. Fish Stocking Report
Fishing techniques for Elk/Beaver Lake:
Trout (rainbow/cutthroat). The best trout fishing occurs in the spring and fall, when other recreational use is less prevalent, and when insect hatches generate peak feeding periods. The most common method of trout fishing on these lakes is slow-trolling lures or fly patterns.
Some anglers idle their boats around the perimeter of the water-skiing boundary markers, or anchor in the small bays to cast towards rising rainbows during an insect hatch. Anglers should try trolling spinners, spoons, and plugs with or without a lake troll. Worden’s Flatfish, Gibbs Croc, or Luhr Jensen Krocodile in nickel or chrome finishes with a blue or fire-orange stripe, or Mepps or Blue Fox spinners are common lures for trout. Cast or trolled, olive-leech and woolly worm fly patterns usually perform well.
Due to heavy stocking, standard baits and simple hardware work nicely. Still-fishing from shore or dock with artificial baits or worms under a float is highly effective, especially for younger anglers.
Bass. As bass are a warm-water species, peak fishing is from April to September (when trout fishing slows in the heat). During mornings and evenings, surface lures can provide explosive action for largemouth and smallmouth bass. In shallow waters, try crank baits, spinner baits, or soft plastics fished close to docks, fallen trees, and other protected areas. In deeper water, try deep-running crank baits or soft plastics.
Facilities: Washrooms, group picnic shelters, wheelchair-accessible washrooms, and a swimming beach are at the southern end of Beaver Lake. A wheelchair-accessible fishing pier (pictured below) is located on the lake’s northwestern shore via Brookleigh Road.
Directions: Google Maps link
2. Thetis Lake
Thetis is located in a regional conservation area established in 1958 as Canada’s first nature sanctuary. The panoramic 835-hectare (2,063-acre) park is popular with anglers, paddlers, swimmers, hikers, and naturalists. Anglers can explore the more remote beaches, bays, and small islands of the lake for a seemingly endless variety of fishing. Upper and Lower Thetis lakes are connected by a small channel, and collectively referred to as Thetis Lake.
Fish species in Thetis Lake: rainbow trout, coastal cutthroat trout, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed sunfish, sculpin, and brown catfish.
Fish stocking: rainbow trout. Fish Stocking Report
Fishing techniques for Thetis Lake:
Trout anglers employ a variety of successful methods on Thetis Lake; casting or trolling flies, spinners, spoons or plugs work well. Small spoons in chrome/orange or brass/silver finishes are very effective. Worden’s Flatfish or Luhr Jensen Kwikfish in rainbow or silver patterns are also good choices for trolling.
When the lake warms up, the trout are deep. Try using your lure with a lake troll or additional sinkers to get down to the deeper water. Local tackle suppliers in Victoria can provide great tips for targeting trout and bass in all the area lakes.
From spring through to early June, fly-fishing for trout is most productive during chironomid (midge) and caddisfly (sedge) hatches, and again in the fall when the weather cools down. During chironomid hatches, try a #12 size black with a silver or red rib. General fly patterns like the pheasant tail nymph, halfback, and Doc Spratleys are available in a wide variety of sizes and colours. These few basic patterns can be effectively used to match hatches for mayfly, damselfly, dragonfly, and caddisfly.
Facilities: Thetis Lake Regional Park has a cartop boat launch, picnic tables, concessions, washrooms, and sandy beaches. There is a small concrete pier at the Main Beach area, as well as many shore-fishing spots along the 4.9-kilometre (three-mile) trail around the lake. Thetis Lake is wheelchair-accessible. There is more accessibility information, including images, on the CRD website. Note that pay parking is in effect during the peak season, from May through September. Paddle boats are allowed, but no powerboats.
Directions: Google Maps link
3. Durrance Lake
Located conveniently close to Victoria, Durrance Lake is the most accessible of the three lakes nestled within Mount Work Regional Park. It is a hugely popular swimming and picnicking destination for families in the summer, with a beautifully forested setting and excellent year ’round fishing.
Fish species in Durrance Lake: rainbow trout, coastal cutthroat trout, smallmouth bass, and pumpkinseed sunfish.
Fish stocking: rainbow trout. Fish Stocking Report
Fishing techniques for Durrance Lake:
Durrance is a relatively sheltered lake, situated in a valley between Mount Work and the Partridge Hills. The water here provides a fantastic environment for both trout and bass. An easy, heavily forested trail circles the lake for approximately 1.7 kilometres (one mile).
Shore anglers frequently target the northern side of the lake since the shoreline is more open, and they can use a wider variety of fishing methods: fly-fishing, casting and retrieving small lures, float fishing, and still-fishing on the bottom with shrimp, krill, or artificial bait. Keep in mind that the water drops off and becomes quite deep within the first 15 metres (50 feet) from shore.
Because the lake is heavily stocked with catchable-sized rainbow trout in the spring and fall, these are usually the most productive seasons. During the heat of the summer, trout are naturally more lethargic, making cooler hours – early mornings or late evenings – your best times to find actively feeding fish.
Facilities: Mount Work Regional Park offers a day-use picnic area, public washrooms, and a cartop boat launch (electric motors and paddle craft only) located near the park’s entrance. Notably, there is a wheelchair-accessible floating fishing dock located just a short distance from the main parking lot.
Directions: Google Maps link
4. Spectacle Lake
Located slightly further from Victoria than Thetis or Elk/Beaver, Spectacle Lake offers a quieter, more natural setting. Still easily accessible from the city, it is set within the boundaries of Spectacle Lake Provincial Park, a 67-hectare (166-acre), day-use recreation area. An easy trail winds around the lake for more than two kilometres (1.2 miles), with wooden bridges crossing the creeks and marshy areas that feed into Spectacle.
Fish species in Spectacle Lake: rainbow trout, coastal cutthroat trout, eastern brook char, and smallmouth bass.
Fish stocking: rainbow trout. Fish Stocking Report
Fishing techniques for Spectacle Lake:
As a slightly cooler, higher-elevation body of water than Elk/Beaver, the trout can remain active longer into early summer.
Trout anglers use a variety of methods: casting or trolling flies, spincasting with small lures, trolling with gang trolls and worms, and still-fishing with artificial bait or worms. Small spoons or plugs (Worden’s Flatfish and Luhr Jensen Kwikfish in Cracked Frog or White Coach Dog finishes) are other good choices for trolling.
As with other Island lakes, the chironomid (midge) hatch on Spectacle begins in March or April and usually lasts through May. Prior to or during early hatches, the larval stage of chironomids (bloodworms) will be targeted by trout. April brings mayfly hatches, followed by the caddisfly (sedge) hatch in mid-May. April through to early June is a good time to fly-fish with nymph and dry-fly patterns.
Facilities: Spectacle Lake Provincial Park offers a day-use picnic area and cartop boat launch, about 100 metres (330 feet) from the parking area. The picnic area and much of the trail system are wheelchair accessible.
Directions: Google Maps Link
5. Glen Lake
Located in the bustling West Shore community of Langford, Glen Lake provides a surprisingly peaceful and highly accessible fishing spot right in the middle of a residential area. While slightly smaller and quieter than the nearby Langford Lake (which is also stocked with rainbow trout), it remains a fantastic year ’round destination for both trout and bass anglers looking for a quick escape close to home.
Fish species in Glen Lake: rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, cutthroat trout, pumpkinseed sunfish, and brown catfish.
Fish stocking: rainbow trout. Fish Stocking Report
Fishing techniques for Glen Lake:
As a fairly sheltered urban lake, Glen offers an excellent environment for both boat and shore anglers. The water features a mix of deep drop-offs and shallow, weedy margins that provide great cover for bass, and cruising lanes for trout.
Shore anglers often congregate at the fishing pier located at the northern end of the lake. The pier is an ideal spot for casting small spoons or spinners, or still-fishing on the bottom with worms and artificial bait. If you can get out on the water in a canoe, kayak, or small boat, trolling is highly effective for the stocked rainbow trout.
Facilities: Glen Lake Park, situated at the northern end of the lake, offers excellent family-friendly amenities. It features a swimming beach, playground, spray park, public washrooms, picnic tables, and a dedicated fishing pier. There is also a cartop boat launch suitable for canoes, kayaks, and small boats (electric motors only). A scenic trail and boardwalk system wraps around portions of the lake, offering pleasant walking routes and additional shoreline access.
Directions: Google Maps link
As always, before you head out on your trip, make sure you have your freshwater fishing licence, and that you have checked out the fishing regulations and daily quotas for your chosen lake.
