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Rating depth structure for coho salmon.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
265-acre lake in British Columbia. The lake tops out around 105 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The drawn water covers 264 acres wrapped in 4.6 miles of bank. A middling shoreline index (2) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 8% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 1.9 mi end to end and 0.4 mi across at its widest. Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District claims this one. If the bite dies, Awun Lake is 13 mi to the east.
These fish are listed in an exact-water agency record as forage or ecological context. They are not target-species profiles and do not affect DepthScout's Prime, Good, or Fair spot ratings.
Official exact-water fish record. The listing documents source-recorded presence, not present abundance or guaranteed catchability.
Spring coho salmon on Mercer Lake hold shallow, usually 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. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 26 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (89 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | open water | Small spoon, slow troll |
When the water first warms, chum salmon slide up into 10 to 70 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 4 to 70 ft, winter 25 to 100 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 89 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a chartreuse or pink hoochie or a bright spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Chrome spoon, Compact baitfish jig |
| Summer | 4 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Chartreuse or pink hoochie, Bright spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Bright spinner, Pink or chartreuse jig |
| Winter | 25 to 100 ft | midday | Deep basin (89 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: pink salmon in 8 to 60 ft. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 70 ft, wintering in 20 to 90 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 89 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a pink or orange casting spoon or a small hoochie gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Small chrome spoon, Compact herring-pattern jig |
| Summer | 3 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Pink or orange casting spoon, Small hoochie |
| Fall | 2 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Small bright spoon, Pink jig |
| Winter | 20 to 90 ft | midday | Deep basin (89 ft) | Small vertical jig |
Spring sockeye salmon on Mercer Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 70 ft. They move out to 3 to 80 ft in summer and finish the year down in 24 to 105 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 89 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small red or pink fly behind a flasher or a compact squid or hoochie.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (89 ft) | Small red or pink hoochie, Compact plankton-profile fly |
| Summer | 3 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Small red or pink fly behind a flasher, Compact squid or hoochie |
| Fall | 2 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Small bright fly, Compact spinner where legal |
| Winter | 24 to 105 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 110 ft | midday | Deep basin (89 ft) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 5 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 89 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 Mercer Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Mercer Lake is about 105 ft (32 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 coho salmon, chum salmon, pink salmon, sockeye salmon on Mercer Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 89 ft of water that rates prime for sockeye salmon in winter. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For coho 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.
Fishing on Mercer 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.
Awun Lake 13 mi · Ian Lake 18 mi · Roy Lake 20 mi · Pam Lake 22 mi · Sheila Lake 22 mi · Peter Lake 22 mi · Marie Lake 23 mi · Marian Lake 24 mi · Yakoun Lake 29 mi · Port Clements - Masset Inlet 30 mi · Mayer Lake 34 mi · Skidegate Inlet 40 mi
See how Mercer Lake stacks up: best coho salmon lakes in British Columbia · best pink salmon lakes in British Columbia · best chum salmon lakes in British Columbia
More water nearby: Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District fishing maps (46 charts). Browse all British Columbia fishing maps. 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.