The late President Chiang Kai-shek was so impressed by the attractive scenery in the area, that he personally gave the lake its name.
其中大頭鰱已重達四十公斤，任何人只要申請了入山證，就可以到湖畔垂釣。在這幽美的碧湖畔垂釣，多麼詩情畫意，那怕是空手而返，亦能沾染一身靈秀之氣。故總統蔣公生前曾到霧社一帶巡視，見萬大水庫碧波萬頃，水光盪漾，不由佇足長觀，親自為它取名為「碧湖」。