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Rating depth structure for cutthroat trout.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
320-acre lake in Mount Waddington Regional District, British Columbia. The lake tops out around 197 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The outline encloses 320 acres, worked by 6.8 miles of shoreline, with a single island in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.7) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. About 3% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 2.6 mi end to end and 0.5 mi across at its widest. It sits in Mount Waddington Regional District. If the bite dies, Benson Lake is 2 mi to the east.
In spring, cutthroat trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 35 ft before dropping to 10 to 40 ft for winter. Winter cutthroat trout concentrate at Main-lake point, a good-rated point around 49 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner most summer days.
| 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 | open water | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Main-lake point (49 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Spring rainbow trout on Kathleen Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — feeding flat, 6 ft, good for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon.
| 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) |
Come spring, look for chinook salmon tight to the bank in 5 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 50 to 120 ft, then a winter hold in 30 to 90 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 89 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (49 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (89 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (49 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | Break off the point (89 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: dolly varden in 1 to 30 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 40 ft before dropping to 8 to 45 ft for winter. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 49 ft of water that rates good for dolly varden in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a small chrome spoon or a baitfish streamer gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 30 ft | dawn & midday | open water | Small silver spoon, Inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (49 ft) | Small chrome spoon, Baitfish streamer |
| Fall | 1 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small spinner, Egg or fry pattern |
| Winter | 8 to 45 ft | midday | Main-lake point (49 ft) | Small slow spoon, Weighted baitfish fly |
Spring puts steelhead in skinny water — 3 to 20 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 45 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 15 ft. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. An orange dodger + fly high in the column or a thin spoon off boards covers the summer program.
| 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 | open water | 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 |
Kathleen Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 167 ft down.
Access data: British Columbia Recreation Sites and Trails - Recreation Sites Subset; Government of British Columbia - Dual-Verified Provincial Crown Land Shoreline; Government of British Columbia - Dual-Verified Provincial Crown Land Shoreline. 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 Kathleen Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Kathleen Lake is about 197 ft (60 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, chinook salmon, dolly varden, steelhead on Kathleen Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 89 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. Open the map above to see every rated 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 Kathleen 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.
Benson Lake 2 mi · Maynard Lake 3 mi · Iron Lake 4 mi · Victoria Lake 5 mi · Three Isle Lake 5 mi · Angler Lake 6 mi · Alice Lake 7 mi · Keogh Lake 8 mi · O'Connor Lake 10 mi · D Lake 10 mi · Sara Lake 11 mi · Beaver Lake 14 mi
See how Kathleen Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best chinook salmon lakes in British Columbia · best steelhead lakes in British Columbia · best cutthroat trout lakes in British Columbia
More water nearby: Mount Waddington Regional District fishing maps (56 charts). Browse all British Columbia fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Shoreline: British Columbia Freshwater Atlas. This is a shoreline guide. Modeled depth contours have been retired. 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.