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Best cutthroat trout lakes in British Columbia

586 British Columbia waters hold cutthroat trout, 66 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — 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 max · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Kokanee, Lake WhitefishWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
2. Kootenay Lake — 509 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Common CarpWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites, 7 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Okanagan Lake — 794 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
4. Shuswap Lake — 530 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Kokanee, Lake WhitefishWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
5. Harrison Lake — 915 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, SteelheadWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Owikeno Lake — 1201 ft max · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Cutthroat TroutWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
7. Morice Lake — 775 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, SteelheadWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
8. Cowichan Lake — 499 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Slocan Lake — 978 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee, Lake WhitefishWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
10. Loon Lake — 213 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
11. Great Central Lake — 820 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout, PumpkinseedWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
12. Trout Lake — 820 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Kokanee, Lake WhitefishWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
13. Stave Lake — 331 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
14. Buttle Lake — 396 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
15. Upper Campbell Lake — 130 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
16. Lillooet Lake — 427 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Lake Whitefish, Cutthroat TroutWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
17. Kennedy Lake — 492 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, SteelheadWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
18. Huaskin Lake — 574 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
19. Whalen Lake — 787 ft max · Coho Salmon, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
20. Long Lake — 558 ft max · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Cutthroat TroutWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
21. Nimpkish Lake — 1050 ft max · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, KokaneeWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
22. Nicola Lake — 187 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Lake Whitefish, BurbotWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
23. Ian Lake — 541 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, KokaneeWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
24. Pitt Lake — 468 ft max · Crappie, Rainbow Trout, Common Carp, Chinook SalmonWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
25. Ellerslie Lake — 673 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached

…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.

Also in British Columbia: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best chinook salmon lakes · best coho salmon lakes · best steelhead lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best kokanee lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best burbot lakes · best arctic grayling lakes · best cisco (lake herring) lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes · best pink salmon lakes · best chum salmon lakes · best pacific chinook salmon lakes · best pacific coho salmon lakes

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