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Fishing Henderson Lake: what the data says
3,832-acre lake in British Columbia. The lake tops out around 820 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Henderson Lake maps at 3,823 acres behind 23.6 miles of shoreline. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.7) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. About 0% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone.
Chinook Salmon fishing at Henderson Lake
When the water first warms, chinook salmon slide up into 5 to 40 ft. Summer is a 50 to 120 ft game here, winter a 30 to 90 ft one. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 74 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (74 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (74 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | Sharp break (74 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Coho Salmon fishing at Henderson Lake
When the water first warms, coho salmon slide up into 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 30 to 70 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sharp break: a drop-off around 74 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (74 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deep basin (697 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Cutthroat Trout fishing at Henderson Lake
Spring puts cutthroat trout in skinny water — 3 to 15 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 35 ft, wintering in 10 to 40 ft. Summer cutthroat trout concentrate at Sharp break, a good-rated drop-off around 74 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A trolled spoon (small) or a inline spinner covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (74 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (205 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Sharp break (74 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Kokanee fishing at Henderson Lake
Spring kokanee on Henderson Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 30 ft. They move out to 30 to 70 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 80 ft. Put Offshore hump first on the milk run — a offshore hump near 79 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (697 ft) | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (73 ft) | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 5 to 40 ft | dawn | open water | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (79 ft) | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
Steelhead fishing at Henderson Lake
In spring, steelhead run shallow here, mostly 3 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 45 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 15 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 697 ft, rated good for summer steelhead. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a orange dodger + fly high in the column or a thin spoon off boards most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small spoon or spinner at the mouths, Jig + waxworm under float |
| Summer | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (697 ft) | Orange dodger + fly high in the column, Thin spoon off boards |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Spinner (silver/blue), Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft | midday | open water | Float jig (black/purple), Bead rig |
Rainbow Trout fishing at Henderson Lake
Early season rainbow trout use the shallows, holding in 5 to 20 ft. Summer is a 8 to 30 ft game here, winter a 8 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 6 ft, good for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| 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 | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Sharp break (74 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 697 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 205 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 205 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 125 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 79 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 74 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 74 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 73 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Henderson 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 Henderson Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Common questions
How deep is Henderson Lake?
Henderson Lake is about 820 ft (250 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 Henderson Lake?
Anglers target rainbow trout, chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead, kokanee, cutthroat trout on Henderson Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Henderson Lake?
Sharp break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 74 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Henderson Lake?
For chinook 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.
What are the fishing regulations for Henderson Lake?
Fishing on Henderson 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
Gracie Lake 9 mi · Toquart Lake 12 mi · Sproat Lake 13 mi · Lizard Pond 13 mi · Hawthorn Lake 14 mi · Sarita Lake 15 mi · Frederick Lake 16 mi · Sugsaw Lake 16 mi · Draw Lake 16 mi · Larry Lake 16 mi · Pachena Lake 17 mi · Turtle Lake 18 mi
See how Henderson Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best chinook salmon lakes in British Columbia · best coho salmon lakes in British Columbia · best steelhead lakes in British Columbia
Browse all British Columbia fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.