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Best cutthroat trout lakes in British Columbia

586 British Columbia waters list cutthroat trout (official records or labelled estimates), 69 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The native trout of the West, named for the orange slash under its jaw. A shoreline cruiser that hunts drop-offs, inlets and rocky points for baitfish and insects.

1. Babine Lake — 610 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, SteelheadWhy #1: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
2. Kootenay Lake — 509 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Common CarpWhy #2: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 8 public access sites, 7 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Okanagan Lake — 794 ft · Approximated contours · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #3: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 1 public access site
4. Shuswap Lake — 530 ft · Soundings-based contours · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Lake TroutWhy #4: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 1 public access site
5. Harrison Lake — 915 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, SteelheadWhy #5: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 5 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Kalamalka Lake — 466 ft · Survey depth data · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, KokaneeWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
7. Cowichan Lake — 499 ft · Approximated contours · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho SalmonWhy #7: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 5 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
8. Slocan Lake — 978 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee, Lake WhitefishWhy #8: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 2 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Loon Lake — 213 ft · Survey depth data · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
10. Great Central Lake — 820 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, SteelheadWhy #10: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
11. Trout Lake — 820 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Kokanee, Lake WhitefishWhy #11: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
12. Stave Lake — 331 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #12: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
13. Buttle Lake — 396 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Dolly VardenWhy #13: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 2 public access sites
14. Lillooet Lake — 427 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, KokaneeWhy #14: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
15. Huaskin Lake — 574 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, SteelheadWhy #15: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 1 public access site
16. Nicola Lake — 187 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, SteelheadWhy #16: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 3 public access sites
17. Sproat Lake — 640 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, KokaneeWhy #17: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
18. Campbell Lake — 248 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Steelhead, Cutthroat Trout, Dolly VardenWhy #18: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 11 public access sites, 9 carry-in or shore-oriented
19. Lois Lake — 463 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, KokaneeWhy #19: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 2 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
20. Comox Lake — 358 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, SteelheadWhy #20: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 1 public access site
21. Sugar Lake — 272 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Lake Whitefish, BurbotWhy #21: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 5 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
22. Victoria Lake — 360 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Dolly VardenWhy #22: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 1 public access site
23. Wahleach Lake — 102 ft · Survey depth data · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
24. Kitsumkalum Lake — 459 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, SteelheadWhy #24: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 2 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
25. Kuyakuz Lake — 46 ft · Approximated contours · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Lake Whitefish, Cutthroat TroutWhy #25: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 1 public access site

…plus 561 more British Columbia waters holding cutthroat trout.

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When to fish cutthroat trout in British Columbia

• Spring 3–15 ft — Pre- and post-spawn cutthroat gang up at tributary mouths and cruise gravel shorelines — swing a spinner or fly through the inlet current.
• Summer 10–35 ft — Summer cutthroat hold along the first shoreline drop and off rocky points, sliding deeper as the surface warms — troll or cast the 15-30 ft edge.
• Fall 5–25 ft — Cooling water brings cutthroat back onto rocky points and gravel shoals to feed hard before winter.
• Winter 10–40 ft — Cold-tolerant like all trout — cutthroat hang on the deep shoreline drops and basin edges through the cold months.

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