Ice fishing in Region 1 Vancouver Island

Fishing region 1 (Vancouver Island) covers 0 wildlife management units. The 2025-2027 synopsis lists 214 waters here with rules of their own. None of them is closed to ice fishing by name. Every other lake follows the regional quotas below.

Open the full BC Crown land map

Region 1 daily quotas

From the Regional Regulations page of the 2025-2027 synopsis. They apply to every water in the region unless the water's own entry says otherwise; possession quotas are two daily quotas unless stated.

• Trout: 4, but not more than 1 over 50 cm (2 hatchery steelhead over 50 cm allowed) and 2 from streams (must be hatchery). Release all wild steelhead, all wild trout from streams and all char, Dolly Varden included.
• Bass: unlimited
• Crayfish: 25
• Kokanee: 5 (none from streams)
• White sturgeon: catch and release only
• Yellow perch: unlimited

On the ice anywhere in BC

• Ice fish with one line and one lure, artificial fly or other terminal attractor.
• You are legally responsible for warning other people of your ice hole.
• Remove your ice hut before ice breakup.
• Set lines (an unattended line) are only allowed in the lakes of Region 6 and Region 7A: one line, one hook with a gap of at least 3 cm, marked with your name, address and phone number. Any game fish other than burbot caught on one must be released.
• Your basic licence runs for the licence year, April 1 to March 31, so a licence bought last spring expires before the end of the ice season.

Other waters with winter rules

Entries with a rule that mentions the ice or a date between December and March.

• Amor De Cosmos Creek: No Fishing from mouth to falls about 4 km upstream, Dec 1-May 31
• Ash River: No Fishing from Dickson Lake to signs 200 m downstream of Lanternman Falls, Dec 1-Apr 30
• Bainbridge Lake: No angling from boats; Youth/Disabled Accompanied Water year round (see page 4)
• Black Creek: No Fishing Dec 1-May 31 and July 15-Aug 31
• (Lower) Campbell Lake’S Tributaries (’S TRIBUTARIES): No Fishing Feb 1-July 15 including Campbell River between Strathcona Dam and (Lower) Campbell Lake
• Campbell River: No Fishing in any tributaries (except Quinsam River), Dec 1-May 31; From John Hart Dam Power Station to power line crossing approximately 200 m upstream of Quinsam River confluence: fly fishing only year-round; Artificial fly only downstream of power line crossing approximately 200 m upstream of Quinsam River: Dec 1-May 31
• Chemainus River: No Fishing downstream of Bannon Creek July 1-Sept 30, No Fishing upstream of Bannon Creek Dec 1-Sept 30
• Cluxewe River: No Fishing upstream of the West Main logging road bridge (approximately 7.5 km upstream of the Hwy 19 bridge), Dec 1-May 31
• Qualicum River Copper Creek (COPPER CREEK): No Fishing from tributaries Skidegate Lake to signs at second bridge 6 km upstream of tidal boundary, Feb 1-Apr 30; Class Exempt II from water July Sept 15-August 1-Apr 30; 31 summer Steelhead closure, Stamp accessible mandatory fishing Dec platform 1-Apr 30 is located at the hatchery
• Courtenay River: No Fishing Dec May 1-Sept 1-June 30; 15 speed restriction on part (8 km/h),
• Cowichan Lake (including Bear Lake) (including Bear Lake): Cutthroat No Fishing trout upstream daily quota of the = Quatse 2 (none River over fishway 50 cm); (approximately bait ban and single 1.4 km barbless upstream hook, of Dick Nov Booth 15-Apr Creek), 15 Dec 1-June 15
• Quennell Lake Cowichan River (see map below) Quinsam River (COWICHAN RIVER (see map below) QUINSAM RIVER): (approximately 25 m upstream of the Quinsam hatchery weir) , Dec 1-June 30
• Rowbotham Lake Datlamen Creek (DATLAMEN CREEK): Bait ban Nov 1-Apr 30; Class II water Sept 1-Apr 30; Steelhead Stamp mandatory Dec 1-Apr 30
• St. Mary Lake Davie River (DAVIE RIVER): No Fishing downstream of Schoen Lake, Dec 1-May 31
• Salmon River Deena Creek (DEENA CREEK): No Fishing upstream of fishing boundary signs at second bridge approximately 5 km upstream of the tidal boundary, Feb 1-May 31; No boats upstream of confluence with White River; speed restriction (10 km/h) from estuary to confluence with White River; Cutthroat catch and release; Bait ban Nov 1-Apr 30; Class II water Sept 1-Apr 30; Steelhead Stamp mandatory Dec 1-Apr 30
• Englishman River: No Fishing downstream of the lower falls in Englishman River Falls Provincial Park to the Top Bridge crossing at the end of Allsbrook Road, Dec 1-May 31
• Eve River: No Fishing upstream of the fishing boundary signs (near the South Main Bridge crossing) located approximately 5.4 km downstream of the Hwy 19 bridge, Dec 1-May 31
• French Creek: No Fishing Dec 1-May 31 and July 15-Aug 31
• Gold River: No Fishing downstream of the Muchalat River, Dec 1-Aug 15, but not including the Muchalat or Heber Rivers (see river specific regulations for those waters)
• Great Central Lake: No Fishing Jan 1-Apr 30, from the dam to fishing boundary signs approximately 50 m upstream (southwest) of the Ash Main Bridge
• Heber River: No Fishing downstream of top lower canyon, located 1.3km upstream of the Gold River confluence Jan 1-Dec 31
• Honna River: Class II water Sept 1-Apr 30; Steelhead Stamp mandatory Dec 1-Apr 30
• Keogh River: No Fishing in all parts, Dec 1-May 31
• Koksilah River: No Fishing Dec 1-May 31 and July 1-Sept 30
• “Link” River: See Marble River
• Mamin River: Class II water Sept 1-Apr 30; Steelhead Stamp mandatory Dec 1-Apr 30; No Fishing upstream of fishing boundary signs on third bridge approximately 10 km upstream of the tidal boundary, Feb 1-Apr 30
• Mohun Creek: No Fishing Dec 1-May 31, No Fishing from Menzies Bay logging mainline bridge crossing to Morton Lake
• Muchalat River: No Fishing Dec 1-May 15; no wild rainbow trout over 50 cm
• Nanaimo River: No Fishing upstream of the Hwy 1 bridge, Dec 1-May 31
• Nimpkish River: No Fishing upstream of Davie River, Dec 1-May 15
• Nitinat River: (by road) south of the Nitinat River Bridge, Aug 25-Dec 31
• Oyster River: Exempt from July 15-Aug 31 summer closure; No Fishing upstream of the confluence with Little Oyster River, Dec 1-June 30
• Pallant Creek: Bait ban Nov 1-Apr 30; Class II water Sept 1-Apr 30; Steelhead Stamp mandatory Dec 1-Apr 30
• Quatse River: No Fishing upstream of the Quatse River fishway (approximately 1.4 km upstream of Dick Booth Creek), Dec 1-June 15
• Quinsam River: (approximately 25 m upstream of the Quinsam hatchery weir), Dec 1-June 30
• Rogers Creek: No Fishing Dec 1-Apr 30
• Stamp River: No Fishing from the confluence with Ash River upstream to the Great Central Lake dam, Jan 1-Apr 30
• Tlell River: Class II water Sept 1-Apr 30; Steelhead Stamp mandatory Dec 1-Apr 30
• Trent River: No Fishing Dec 1-May 31 and July 15-Aug 31
• Tsable River: No Fishing Dec 1-May 31 and July 15-Aug 31
• Yakoun River: Class II water Sept 1-Apr 30; Steelhead Stamp mandatory Dec 1-Apr 30

Source: BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis 2025-2027, Region 1 Vancouver Island (water-specific tables and regional regulations); management units: BC Geographic Warehouse (OGL-BC). The synopsis is a summary, not the regulation, and in-season changes on gov.bc.ca/FishingRegulations override it. Lake names are linked where we could match them to a lake on our map by name and management unit. No regulation makes ice safe: check it yourself.