Burnell Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (BC)

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Lake depth chart

Burnell Lake, BC

Max 43 ft

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Chironomids (stillwater midges) window is on — see the hatch outlook

Hatch outlook

Chironomids (stillwater midges)Active window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Oct 31 · the smaller fall second season — hatches continue on mild afternoons

nymphearly morning, start of the day — fish the bloodworm ON the bottom — 4–6 inches off the mud before the emergence starts
pupathe cool morning hours are prime — as the emergence builds, slide the pupa up to 12–15 inches off bottom under the indicator; a little wind chop does the jigging

Concentrates by DEPTH BAND and mud type, not a fixed spot: roughly 20–25 ft in spring, deeper midsummer, in against the feeder creeks in summer heat, 5–25 ft in fall. Match the band.

This one translates almost perfectly: a slip float with a 1/64–1/100 oz midge-pattern jig set 4–15 inches off bottom over a mud flat, dead-sticked with the chop doing the work. Depth control is everything — no moving lure imitates a hanging pupa; the float rig IS the technique.

The event happens over open mud flats alongside weedlines, channels and basin edges; feeder-creek mouths in summer heat

Water boatman fall flightsActive window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Oct 31 · fall mating flights on calm sunny days — 'raindrops hitting the water'; a smaller spring flight is documented right after ice-off

adultmiddday-ish on calm, sunny fall days — the fishable moment is the splashdown: boatmen dive in headfirst trailing an air bubble and make repeated trips back to the surface — a fly or lure that dives nose-first on the drop imitates exactly this

Takes are seldom subtle — trout ravage boatmen as they hit the water and during their subsurface runs.

Tailor-made for hardware: a small 1/16 oz silver-bellied spoon or jig cast AT the rings of a splashdown sinks headfirst exactly like the natural — twitch-pause it back through the top few feet. On flight days fan-cast the shallow weed margins.

The event happens over near-shore shallows, weed beds and shoal margins on calm sunny fall afternoons

Scuds (Gammarus shrimp)Active window

Typical here: Jan 1 – Dec 31 · year-round — the biomass behind the Kamloops fishery's growth rates; most important early spring and again in fall as dying weed cover exposes them

adultall day, year-round — best when weed cover is thin (early spring, late fall) — quick 1-inch 'shrimpy' strips along the weed beds and marl; in fall a subtle slow retrieve just off the bottom

Not an event — the pantry. Scud water is why these lakes grow big rainbows; fish them when nothing is hatching.

No hardware imitates a half-inch freshwater shrimp well — this is a jig game: a small olive/tan micro-jig under a slip float worked along the weed edges, or fished just off bottom in fall. Otherwise treat scud water as the signal that the lake grows big fish.

The event happens over weed beds, chara and marl flats and shoal-zone debris in calcium-rich lakes

Leeches (stillwater staple)Active window

Typical here: Jan 1 – Dec 31 · year-round — the go-to at ice-off before the chironomids start, and again through fall

adultany hour; low light and the cool ends of the season fish best — slow steady hand-twist or 2–3 inch pulls — in fall a slow steady pull outfishes a fast strip — or hang a balanced leech under an indicator

Baseline food, not an event — the honest 'nothing is hatching' answer on every interior lake, bracketing the season at ice-off and late fall.

The most spin-friendly item on the menu, with agency-documented tactics: slow-troll a Worden's Triple Teazer or Panther Martin along the drop-offs (the BC agency's own recommendation), or fish a black or olive marabou jig under a slip float over the shoal edge.

The event happens over shoal-zone vegetation, woody debris and rock, sliding to the drop-offs by day

Next on this water

Callibaetis (Speckled Dun) · mayflyApr 15 – Jul 31 · in ~7 months

Damselfly migration · forageJun 1 – Jul 31 · in ~9 months

Traveling sedge (giant lake caddis) · caddisJun 10 – Aug 15 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

Depth · ft

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Recent catches at Burnell Lake

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Fishing Burnell Lake: what the data says

35-acre lake in Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District, British Columbia. The lake tops out around 43 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.

The outline encloses 35 acres, worked by 1.3 miles of shoreline. With a 1.6 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. About 60% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 0.4 mi long by 0.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District claims this one. If the bite dies, Madden Lake is 2 mi to the north.

Pumpkinseed fishing at Burnell Lake

Start shallow in spring: pumpkinseed sit in 1 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 2 to 10 ft; cold water stacks them in 6 to 18 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 5 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 8 ft	midday & dusk	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin
Summer	2 to 10 ft	dusk & dawn	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly)
Fall	4 to 14 ft	dusk & dawn	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped
Winter	6 to 18 ft	dawn	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon

Rainbow Trout fishing at Burnell Lake

Spring rainbow trout on Burnell Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 40 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 19 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run 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	Main-lake point (11 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	8 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (19 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (11 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	8 to 40 ft	dawn	Break off the point (19 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Yellow Perch fishing at Burnell Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 5 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn	Break off the point (19 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	12 to 35 ft	midday	Deep basin (37 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (37 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Notable structure

Burnell Lake carries 5 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 37 ft down.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 37 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 19 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 11 ft
Secondary point: point, around 11 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 5 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Burnell Lake — carry-in access

Access data: British Columbia Recreation Sites and Trails - Recreation Sites Subset. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

Burnell Lake fishing regulations

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 Burnell Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Burnell Lake?

Burnell Lake is about 43 ft (13 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.

What fish are in Burnell Lake?

Anglers target pumpkinseed, rainbow trout, yellow perch on Burnell Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Burnell Lake?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for pumpkinseed in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish Burnell Lake?

For pumpkinseed, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Burnell Lake?

Fishing on Burnell 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.

Nearby waters

Madden Lake 2 mi · Ripley Lake 3 mi · Tugulnuit Lake 3 mi · Gallagher Lake 5 mi · Mahoney Lake 6 mi · Vaseux Lake 7 mi · Green Lake 7 mi · Prather Lake 9 mi · Yellow Lake 11 mi · Frank Lake 13 mi · Kilpoola Lake 13 mi · Skaha Lake 13 mi

See how Burnell Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best yellow perch lakes in British Columbia · best pumpkinseed lakes in British Columbia

More water nearby: Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District fishing maps (47 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.