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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
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104-acre lake in East Kootenay Regional District, British Columbia. The lake tops out around 40 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Traced from the shoreline, Cartwright Lake runs 104 acres with 1.8 miles of edge. Its 1.2 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 70% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.7 mi with a 0.4-mi widest point. The water lies in East Kootenay Regional District. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Topaz Lake, 2 mi northeast of here.
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 8 to 40 ft for winter. Winter rainbow trout concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 18 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (18 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Cartwright Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 34 ft down.
Access data: British Columbia Recreation Sites and Trails - Recreation Sites Subset. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Cartwright Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Cartwright Lake is about 40 ft (12 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 rainbow trout on Cartwright Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 18 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Cartwright 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.
Topaz Lake 2 mi · Lang Lake 2 mi · Cleland Lake 2 mi · Jade Lake 2 mi · Big Fish Lake 3 mi · Leadqueen Lake 4 mi · Halfway Lake 4 mi · Climax Lake 5 mi · Hall Lakes 7 mi · Templeton Lake 7 mi · Steamboat Lake 7 mi · Upper Halgrave Lake 8 mi
See how Cartwright Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia
More water nearby: East Kootenay Regional District fishing maps (89 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.