The Colliery Dams and Westwood Lake are popular spots for students to fish, as both are near VIU and there is plenty of shoreline for anglers to spread out. Green Lake near Woodgrove Mall is also a great area to fish, and Pittman says fewer locals know about it. Rainbow Trout are most likely to be caught in these areas and the prospects of other species may require a trip away from Nanaimo. “For bass fishing you have to go out of town, like Spider Lake or Quennell Lake,” Pittman says.

With the perfect location chosen, fishers should then look for the best tackle. PowerBait worms and Panther Martin lures are a popular choice for the region, and Gone Fishin’ carries a wide variety of each. “For the Colliery Dam, a lot of people use cured salmon eggs, they’re pretty popular,” Pittman says.