Buntzen Lake offers year-round freshwater fishing for several species, including stocked rainbow trout, resident cutthroat trout, kokanee, and northern pikeminnow. Rainbow trout are regularly stocked by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC, making Buntzen one of the more accessible stocked lakes in the Metro Vancouver area.

Spring and fall are generally the best times to target stocked rainbow trout, particularly around stocking periods. Fishing can still be productive during the summer, although trout often move into deeper, cooler water. Northern pikeminnow are commonly encountered during the warmer months, and kokanee are also present in the lake.

Fish Stocking at Buntzen Lake

The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC regularly stocks Buntzen Lake with catchable-sized rainbow trout. Stocking numbers and dates vary from year to year.

In spring 2026, Buntzen Lake received 6,000 Fraser Valley-strain triploid rainbow trout in three releases:

• 12 March 2026: 2,700 fish, averaging approximately 237 g
• 31 March 2026: 300 fish, averaging approximately 249 g
• 21 April 2026: 3,000 fish, averaging approximately 212 g

You can check the current Buntzen Lake fish stocking report for the latest releases.

Stocking Fish.

Fishing at Buntzen Lake.

Fishing Licence and Regulations

Anyone aged 16 or older generally needs a valid B.C. freshwater fishing licence to fish at Buntzen Lake. B.C. residents under 16 may fish without a licence. Different conditions apply to non-resident anglers under 16.

Freshwater fishing licences are now administered through the Province of B.C.’s WILD system. Licence options and current requirements are available on the B.C. freshwater fishing licence page.

Buntzen Lake is within Region 2 – Lower Mainland. Under the current 2025-2027 regional regulations:

• The daily trout/char quota is 4, with no more than one over 50 cm.
• No more than one char may be retained, and retained char must be at least 60 cm.
• The daily kokanee quota is 5.
• The possession limit is generally twice the daily quota.

Buntzen Lake is not listed with separate water-specific fishing restrictions in the current Region 2 table, so the general provincial and Region 2 rules apply. Regulations can change, including through in-season amendments, so anglers should always check the current B.C. freshwater fishing regulations before heading out.

Fishing from Shore

Fishing is possible from several accessible shoreline areas around Buntzen Lake. The lake becomes deep fairly quickly in many locations, so shore anglers may have better access to trout during cooler periods when fish are closer to the surface and shoreline.

Fishing from a pier at Buntzen Lake.

Fishing from a Boat

A boat provides access to deeper areas of Buntzen Lake and can be particularly useful when trout and kokanee are holding away from shore. Trolling is a common way to cover the lake.

BC Hydro permits canoes, kayaks, other small watercraft, and boats using small battery-powered electric motors. Gas-powered boats are not permitted. A boat launch is located near South Beach.

Fishing from a boat at Buntzen Lake.

Before You Go Fishing

Buntzen Lake can become extremely busy during warm weather. If you are driving, check the current Buntzen Lake parking information before leaving home. Boat-trailer parking is limited, and a parking reservation does not guarantee a trailer space.

Fishing conditions vary with season, weather, water temperature, reservoir level, and recent stocking. Before fishing, check the latest stocking information, current fishing regulations, and any BC Hydro access or safety notices.

For current recreation-area information, including gate hours, boating restrictions, and temporary notices, visit the BC Hydro Buntzen Lake page.

Buntzen Lake is surrounded by lush coastal forest, wetlands, creeks, and open areas that support a surprisingly colourful variety of flowering plants. Over the years, I have photographed many of them while hiking around the lake and on the surrounding trails.

Some flowers are large and impossible to miss, while others are small enough that you can easily walk past them without noticing. Below are some of my favourites that I have photographed around the Buntzen Lake area.

Columbia Lily

The Columbia lily (Lilium columbianum) is one of my favourite wildflowers around Buntzen Lake. Its brilliant orange flowers, dark reddish-purple spots, and strongly recurved petals make it one of the most distinctive flowers along the trails.

The flowers hang downward from tall stems and can vary considerably in appearance depending on the angle. The strongly curved petals expose the long stamens and anthers, which makes the flower especially striking when viewed up close.

One of my favourite encounters was seeing this Western tiger swallowtail (Papilio rutulus) feeding on a Columbia lily. Butterflies can act as pollinators as they move from flower to flower in search of nectar. Pollen can actually be seen on the butterfly’s body in the photograph below.

Western tiger swallowtail (Papilio rutulus) feeding on a Columbia lily, with pollen visible on its body.

Columbia lilies are native to British Columbia and are found in open forests, clearings, roadsides, meadows, and similar habitats. Their large orange flowers are visited by both insects and hummingbirds.

From my own observations around Buntzen Lake, Columbia lilies generally bloom from late May into early July, with the peak flowering period somewhere within that range depending on the year and weather conditions. At higher elevations in the surrounding mountains, I have seen them still flowering into August.

Columbia lilies showing their characteristic hanging flowers and recurved petals.

Close-up of the distinctive orange and dark-spotted petals of a Columbia lily.

Western Columbine

Another favourite is the Western columbine (Aquilegia formosa). The unusual red and yellow flowers hang downward, with long red spurs extending above the petals.

It is one of the more distinctive flowers around Buntzen Lake and is especially beautiful when seen close up.

Western columbine (Aquilegia formosa).

Water Lily

Not all of the flowers around Buntzen Lake grow beside the trails. Water lilies can produce beautiful flowers among the floating leaves in quiet areas of water.

The soft pink flower below is particularly attractive against the dark green lily pads surrounding it.

Water lily (Nymphaea sp.).

Salmonberry

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) is common in the moist forests of the Buntzen Lake area. Its vivid pink flowers appear before the familiar raspberry-like fruit develops later in the season.

The flowers can range from pink to a much deeper reddish-purple and provide some of the earliest strong colour along the trails.

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis).

Douglas Spirea

Douglas spirea (Spiraea douglasii), also commonly called hardhack, produces dense clusters of small pink flowers on tall, upright stems.

Rather than one large flower, each plume consists of many tiny flowers packed together, giving the plant its distinctive fuzzy appearance.

Douglas spirea, also known as hardhack (Spiraea douglasii).

Thimbleberry

Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus) is easy to recognize once you become familiar with its large, soft, maple-shaped leaves. The plant produces relatively large white flowers followed later by soft red berries.

It is common along forest edges, trails, and other openings around the Buntzen Lake area.

Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus).

Western Skunk Cabbage

Western skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus) is one of the most recognizable plants in wet areas around Buntzen Lake. It grows in saturated ground, swampy areas, and beside slow-moving water.

The yellow structure that looks like a large petal is called a spathe. It surrounds the central flower spike, or spadix, which carries numerous tiny flowers.

Its enormous green leaves become even more conspicuous after flowering.

Western skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus).

Self-Heal

Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris), also known as heal-all, is much smaller than many of the other flowers on this page. Its purple flowers grow tightly around a short, upright flower head.

It is easy to overlook among grasses and other low vegetation, but the purple flowers are quite attractive when viewed close up.

Self-heal, also known as heal-all (Prunella vulgaris).

Welsh Poppy

The bright orange flowers of the Welsh poppy (Papaver cambricum) are difficult to miss against the green forest floor.

The thin petals and long stems give the flowers a delicate appearance, particularly when several are growing together in a patch of filtered sunlight.

Welsh poppy (Papaver cambricum).

Common Foxglove

Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) produces tall spikes covered with large, tubular flowers. Around Buntzen Lake, I have seen both the familiar purple form and striking white-flowered plants.

The spotted interiors of the individual flowers are especially impressive when viewed closely. Foxglove is an introduced plant in British Columbia, and all parts of the plant are toxic if eaten.

Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea).

Flowers Through the Seasons

The flowers around Buntzen Lake change considerably through the year. Some of the earliest blooms appear in wet areas and along forest edges in spring, while other species become more noticeable through late spring and summer.

It is one of the things I enjoy about repeatedly hiking the same trails. A section of forest that looks completely green during one visit can have a colourful flower growing beside the trail only a few weeks later.

These are only some of the flowering plants I have photographed around Buntzen Lake. I will continue adding to this page as I come across more.