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Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
94-acre lake in Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District, British Columbia. The lake tops out around 91 ft. This chart interpolates between a real shoreline and a known maximum depth. It will point you at likely water, but it is not a navigation product. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The drawn water covers 94 acres wrapped in 2.5 miles of bank. A middling shoreline index (1.8) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. About 31% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 1 mi end to end and 0.3 mi across at its widest. Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District claims this one. Turnbull Lake sits 1 mi east — the closest neighbouring chart.
Early season brown bullhead use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 3 to 12 ft game here, winter a 10 to 25 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 6 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (77 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: cutthroat trout in 3 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 35 ft, wintering in 10 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 23 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner gets it done.
| 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 (23 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (23 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (41 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 45 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 23 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (23 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (23 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (41 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
When the water first warms, rainbow trout slide up into 5 to 20 ft. Summer is an 8 to 30 ft game here, winter an 8 to 40 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 41 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon rigged through the warm months.
| 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 | Main-lake point (23 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (23 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (41 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Mclaughlin Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 77 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 Mclaughlin Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Mclaughlin Lake is about 91 ft (28 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 brown bullhead, cutthroat trout, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout on Mclaughlin Lake.
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 23 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For brown bullhead, the summer bite is best in after dark 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 Mclaughlin 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.
Turnbull Lake 1 mi · Ash Lake 1 mi · Dickson Lake 2 mi · Elsie Lake 2 mi · Lowry Lake 2 mi · Pear Lake 5 mi · Nimnim Lake 5 mi · Moran Lake 6 mi · Great Central Lake 6 mi · Willemar Lake 7 mi · June Lake 7 mi · Forbush Lake 8 mi
See how Mclaughlin Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in British Columbia · best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best cutthroat trout lakes in British Columbia · best brown bullhead lakes in British Columbia
More water nearby: Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District fishing maps (52 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.