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Rating depth structure for coho salmon.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
340-acre lake in British Columbia. The lake tops out around 69 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Drawn out, this is 339 acres of water rimmed by 3.6 miles of bank. Its 1.4 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. 25% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 1.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.7 mi at the beam. The water lies in Cowichan Valley Regional District. For a second option, Squalicum Lake lies 4 mi northwest.
These fish are listed in an exact-water agency record as forage or ecological context. They are not target-species profiles and do not affect DepthScout's Prime, Good, or Fair spot ratings.
Official exact-water fish record. The listing documents source-recorded presence, not present abundance or guaranteed catchability.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: coho salmon in 3 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 21 to 69 ft, wintering in 20 to 60 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 59 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 21 to 69 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (59 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deep basin (59 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Come spring, look for cutthroat trout tight to the bank in 3 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 31 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (31 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (31 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Spring puts sockeye salmon in skinny water — 5 to 69 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 3 to 69 ft, and winter fish hold in 16 to 69 ft. Winter sockeye salmon concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 59 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small red or pink fly behind a flasher or a compact squid or hoochie covers the summer program.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 69 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (59 ft) | Small red or pink hoochie, Compact plankton-profile fly |
| Summer | 3 to 69 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Small red or pink fly behind a flasher, Compact squid or hoochie |
| Fall | 2 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Small bright fly, Compact spinner where legal |
| Winter | 16 to 69 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 110 ft | midday | Deep basin (59 ft) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 59 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 Cheewhat Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Cheewhat Lake is about 69 ft (21 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 coho salmon, cutthroat trout, sockeye salmon on Cheewhat Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 59 ft of water that rates prime for coho salmon in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For coho salmon, 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 Cheewhat 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.
Squalicum Lake 4 mi · Hobiton Lake 5 mi · Tsuquadra Lake 6 mi · Tsusiat Lake 6 mi · Hitchie Lake 6 mi · Flora Lake 12 mi · Rosseau Lake 15 mi · Pachena Lake 16 mi · Sarita Lake 16 mi · Black Lake 17 mi · Frederick Lake 17 mi · Port San Juan 17 mi
See how Cheewhat Lake stacks up: best coho salmon lakes in British Columbia · best cutthroat trout lakes in British Columbia
More water nearby: Cowichan Valley Regional District fishing maps (30 charts). Browse all British Columbia fishing maps. 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.