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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
4,882-acre lake in Stikine Region, British Columbia. The lake tops out around 246 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The drawn water covers 4,630 acres wrapped in 37.7 miles of bank, broken up by 3 islands. The 4 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 40% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Figure 12.6 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.4 mi at the beam. It sits in Stikine Region. If the bite dies, Azuklotz Lake is 4 mi to the southeast.
When the water first warms, burbot slide up into 25 to 70 ft. By summer they slide out to 50 to 120 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 60 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Offshore hump: an offshore hump around 13 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and midday. Keep a heavy jig + cut bait rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Sharp break (24 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (209 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Sharp break (24 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Early season kokanee use the shallows, holding in 10 to 30 ft. Expect a summer slide to 30 to 70 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 80 ft. Put Sharp break first on the milk run — a drop-off near 22 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (22 ft) | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn | Sharp break (24 ft) | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 5 to 40 ft | dawn | Sharp break (22 ft) | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Sharp break (22 ft) | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, lake trout slide up into 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 50 to 120 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Offshore hump: an offshore hump around 13 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (22 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Sharp break (134 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Sharp break (22 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Spring rainbow trout on Bear Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 22 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (22 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (22 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Sharp break (22 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Start shallow in spring: lake whitefish sit in 15 to 45 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 40 to 90 ft, and winter fish settle into 25 to 70 ft. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (22 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (209 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (24 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
The chart marks 13 structure features on Bear Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 209 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for British Columbia waters are set by the BC freshwater fishing synopsis — and special regulations can apply to Bear Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Bear Lake is about 246 ft (75 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target burbot, kokanee, lake trout, rainbow trout, lake whitefish on Bear Lake.
Offshore hump is the top-rated area: an offshore hump in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in winter. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For burbot, the summer bite is best in after dark and midday. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Bear Lake is regulated by the BC freshwater fishing synopsis. Check the official British Columbia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Azuklotz Lake 4 mi · Motase Lake 10 mi · Onerka Lake 12 mi · Gunanoot Lake 30 mi · Sustut Lake 35 mi · Damsumlo Lake 38 mi · Smokee Lake 41 mi · Johanson Lake 41 mi · Sucker Lake 42 mi · Aiken Lake 46 mi · Tutizzi Lake 47 mi · Acorn Lake 50 mi
See how Bear Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best lake trout lakes in British Columbia · best kokanee lakes in British Columbia · best lake whitefish lakes in British Columbia
More water nearby: Stikine Region fishing maps (88 charts). Browse all British Columbia fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.