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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
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2,012-acre lake in Nanaimo Regional District, British Columbia. The lake tops out around 200 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Horne Lake maps at 2,012 acres behind 15.4 miles of shoreline — one island included. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.5) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 14% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 3.9 mi, about 1.9 mi across. Nanaimo Regional District claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Lacy Lake, is 3 mi to the southwest.
Spring brook trout on Horne Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 20 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 6 ft that grades good for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
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. Fall cutthroat trout concentrate at Main-lake point, a good-rated point around 50 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A trolled spoon (small) or an 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 | Main-lake point (50 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (50 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Main-lake point (50 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Spring kokanee on Horne 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 Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 170 ft that grades good for spring. 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 (170 ft) | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn | Deep basin (170 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 | Deep basin (170 ft) | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
Early season rainbow trout use the shallows, holding in 5 to 20 ft. Summer is an 8 to 30 ft game here, winter an 8 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — feeding 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 | open water | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
5 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 170 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Horne Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Horne Lake is about 200 ft (61 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 brook trout, cutthroat trout, kokanee, rainbow trout on Horne Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 6 ft of water that rates good for brook trout in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For brook 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 Horne 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.
Lacy Lake 3 mi · Spider Lake 3 mi · Cameron Lake 5 mi · Loon Lake 6 mi · Deep Bay Harbour 9 mi · Turtle Lake 12 mi · Henry Lake 12 mi · Graham Lake 12 mi · Kammat Lake 13 mi · Somers Lake 13 mi · Moran Lake 15 mi · Chicadee Lake 16 mi
See how Horne Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best brook trout lakes in British Columbia · best kokanee 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.