Prospect Lake, Saanich
Tucked in the residential community of Saanich, Prospect Lake is a convenient fishery for boat anglers who are looking for a short fishing outing. It produces both rainbow trout and smallmouth bass in spring and fall.
How to Get There?
Prospect Lake is located in Saanich, just north of Victoria on Vancouver Island. To get to the lake, travel on West Saanich Road (17A) and turn off at Prospect Lake Road. There are several access points at the lake. Whitehead Park at the north end of the lake is ideal for those who choose to fish with a float tube or pontoon boat. From the parking lot, you can carry your float craft to the lake via a short trail. There is a trailer boat launch on the west side of the lake via Echo Drive. South Prospect Lake Park also provides some access but generally foot access from shore is very limited so fishing is mainly done from a boat. You can find all the access spots in a map provided by District of Saanich, as well as general information on boating restrictions.
Fishing Season
Freshwater Water Fisheries Society of BC stocks catchable rainbow trout into Prospect Lake every spring and fall. Smallmouth bass fishing is usually excellent in May and June, as well as in October and November. Yellow perch is reported in recent years after being illegally introduced. These can be caught between spring and fall. While winter fishing is generally slow, it is still possible to catch rainbow trout because Southern Vancouver Island remains pretty mild throughout the winter months.
Fishing Techniques
Due to the lack of shore access, Prospect Lake is best fished from a boat. If you do not own a boat, you can also fish from a float tube or pontoon boat because the lake is not too big. Most of the good fishing takes place along the shallow parts of the lake where structures such as docks, branches, weed beds and rocks are found. For best results, travel along the shoreline and cast your presentation to structures where fish generally hide.
Stocked rainbow trout are usually released into the lake when they are around 200g to 300g. Smallmouth bass can be up to 2lb. Targeting these fish is best done on light tackle. If you are fly fishing, a 4 or 5wt fly fishing setup is adequate enough. Floating or intermediate sinking lines should be used, depending on the water depth you are fishing in. Leech patterns allow you to cover both trout and bass.
If you are spincasting, small spinners work well for both trout and bass. If you are targeting bass specifically, try topwater lures such as poppers, or soft plastic baits which are jigged close to the bottom around structures. To target trout specifically, you can also try trolling around the lake. This works especially well when fish are not active on the surface.
Important Notes
Before your first fishing trip to Prospect Lake, please make sure you know the following information:
- You must have a valid British Columbia freshwater fishing license.
- Prospect Lake is located in Region 1 in the British Columbia freshwater fishing regulations.
- Prospect Lake is surrounded by residential properties so please respect local residents by keeping your noise down. You should also pay attention to the motor boat speed restrictions for this lake.
