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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
7-acre lake in Nanaimo Regional District, British Columbia. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
On the chart, Cottle Lake draws 7 acres inside 0.5 miles of shoreline. Nearly circular (index 1.3), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 47% of this chart, as modeled. The water lies in Nanaimo Regional District. For a second option, Boomerang Lake lies 0 mi north.
When the water first warms, cutthroat trout slide up into 3 to 15 ft. Summer is a 9 to 30 ft game here, winter an 8 to 30 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 14 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 8 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 6 to 30 ft for winter. Winter rainbow trout concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 14 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 (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 6 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 3 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 26 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 Cottle Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Cottle Lake is about 30 ft (9 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 cutthroat trout, rainbow trout on Cottle Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For cutthroat 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 Cottle 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.
Boomerang Lake 0 mi · Blackjack Lake 2 mi · Round Lake 2 mi · Kidney Lake 2 mi · Lucid Lake 5 mi · Brannen Lake 5 mi · Nanaimo Lakes 5 mi · Green Lake 6 mi · Rhododendron Lake 6 mi · Diver Lake 7 mi · Long Lake 7 mi · Barsby Lake 7 mi
See how Cottle Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best cutthroat trout lakes in British Columbia
More water nearby: Nanaimo Regional District fishing maps (33 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.