Nicola Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (BC)

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Lake depth chart

Nicola Lake, BC

Max 187 ft

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Where to start

Chironomids (stillwater midges) window is on — see the hatch outlook

Hatch outlook

Chironomids (stillwater midges)Active window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Oct 31 · the smaller fall second season — hatches continue on mild afternoons

nymphearly morning, start of the day — fish the bloodworm ON the bottom — 4–6 inches off the mud before the emergence starts
pupathe cool morning hours are prime — as the emergence builds, slide the pupa up to 12–15 inches off bottom under the indicator; a little wind chop does the jigging

Concentrates by DEPTH BAND and mud type, not a fixed spot: roughly 20–25 ft in spring, deeper midsummer, in against the feeder creeks in summer heat, 5–25 ft in fall. Match the band.

This one translates almost perfectly: a slip float with a 1/64–1/100 oz midge-pattern jig set 4–15 inches off bottom over a mud flat, dead-sticked with the chop doing the work. Depth control is everything — no moving lure imitates a hanging pupa; the float rig IS the technique.

The event happens over open mud flats alongside weedlines, channels and basin edges; feeder-creek mouths in summer heat

Water boatman fall flightsActive window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Oct 31 · fall mating flights on calm sunny days — 'raindrops hitting the water'; a smaller spring flight is documented right after ice-off

adultmiddday-ish on calm, sunny fall days — the fishable moment is the splashdown: boatmen dive in headfirst trailing an air bubble and make repeated trips back to the surface — a fly or lure that dives nose-first on the drop imitates exactly this

Takes are seldom subtle — trout ravage boatmen as they hit the water and during their subsurface runs.

Tailor-made for hardware: a small 1/16 oz silver-bellied spoon or jig cast AT the rings of a splashdown sinks headfirst exactly like the natural — twitch-pause it back through the top few feet. On flight days fan-cast the shallow weed margins.

The event happens over near-shore shallows, weed beds and shoal margins on calm sunny fall afternoons

Scuds (Gammarus shrimp)Active window

Typical here: Jan 1 – Dec 31 · year-round — the biomass behind the Kamloops fishery's growth rates; most important early spring and again in fall as dying weed cover exposes them

adultall day, year-round — best when weed cover is thin (early spring, late fall) — quick 1-inch 'shrimpy' strips along the weed beds and marl; in fall a subtle slow retrieve just off the bottom

Not an event — the pantry. Scud water is why these lakes grow big rainbows; fish them when nothing is hatching.

No hardware imitates a half-inch freshwater shrimp well — this is a jig game: a small olive/tan micro-jig under a slip float worked along the weed edges, or fished just off bottom in fall. Otherwise treat scud water as the signal that the lake grows big fish.

The event happens over weed beds, chara and marl flats and shoal-zone debris in calcium-rich lakes

Leeches (stillwater staple)Active window

Typical here: Jan 1 – Dec 31 · year-round — the go-to at ice-off before the chironomids start, and again through fall

adultany hour; low light and the cool ends of the season fish best — slow steady hand-twist or 2–3 inch pulls — in fall a slow steady pull outfishes a fast strip — or hang a balanced leech under an indicator

Baseline food, not an event — the honest 'nothing is hatching' answer on every interior lake, bracketing the season at ice-off and late fall.

The most spin-friendly item on the menu, with agency-documented tactics: slow-troll a Worden's Triple Teazer or Panther Martin along the drop-offs (the BC agency's own recommendation), or fish a black or olive marabou jig under a slip float over the shoal edge.

The event happens over shoal-zone vegetation, woody debris and rock, sliding to the drop-offs by day

Next on this water

Callibaetis (Speckled Dun) · mayflyApr 15 – Jul 31 · in ~7 months

Damselfly migration · forageJun 1 – Jul 31 · in ~9 months

Traveling sedge (giant lake caddis) · caddisJun 10 – Aug 15 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Nicola Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Nicola Lake on the board.

Fishing Nicola Lake: what the data says

6,217-acre lake in Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia. The lake tops out around 187 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.

The drawn water covers 6,187 acres wrapped in 30.6 miles of bank. With a shoreline index of 2.8, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 7% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 11 mi long by 4.1 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Thompson-Nicola Regional District. If the bite dies, Sheep Lake is 5 mi to the north.

Burbot fishing at Nicola Lake

When the water first warms, burbot slide up into 25 to 70 ft. By summer they slide out to 50 to 120 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 60 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Offshore hump: an offshore hump around 12 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and midday. Keep a heavy jig + cut bait rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	25 to 70 ft	night & dusk	Offshore hump (12 ft)	Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark)
Summer	50 to 120 ft	night & midday	Break off the point (84 ft)	Heavy jig + cut bait
Fall	30 to 80 ft	night & dusk	Break off the point (84 ft)	Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow)
Winter	15 to 60 ft	night & dusk	Offshore hump (12 ft)	Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head

Cutthroat Trout fishing at Nicola Lake

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. Spring cutthroat trout concentrate at Creek inflow, a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 8 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	Creek inflow (8 ft)	Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon
Summer	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Rock reef (12 ft)	Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner
Fall	5 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Rock reef (12 ft)	Casting spoon, Inline spinner
Winter	10 to 40 ft	dawn	Rock reef (12 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig

Kokanee fishing at Nicola Lake

Early season kokanee use the shallows, holding in 10 to 30 ft. Expect a summer slide to 30 to 70 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 80 ft. Put Creek inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 8 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	10 to 30 ft	dawn	Offshore hump (12 ft)	Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn
Summer	30 to 70 ft	dawn	Deep basin (159 ft)	Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn
Fall	5 to 40 ft	dawn	Creek inflow (8 ft)	Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon
Winter	20 to 80 ft	dawn	Offshore hump (12 ft)	Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon

Rainbow Trout fishing at Nicola Lake

Spring rainbow trout on Nicola 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 Creek inflow — inflow / creek mouth, 8 ft, prime 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	Creek inflow (8 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	8 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Creek inflow (8 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Rock reef (12 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	8 to 40 ft	dawn	Creek inflow (8 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Lake Whitefish fishing at Nicola Lake

Start shallow in spring: lake whitefish sit in 15 to 45 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 40 to 90 ft, and winter fish settle into 25 to 70 ft. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	15 to 45 ft	midday & dawn	Rock reef (12 ft)	Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small)
Summer	40 to 90 ft	dawn	Break off the point (84 ft)	Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon
Fall	8 to 30 ft	dusk	Rock reef (12 ft)	Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva
Winter	25 to 70 ft	midday & dawn	Offshore hump (12 ft)	Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie

Notable structure

Count 16 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 159 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 159 ft
Old creek channel: creek channel, around 94 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 84 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 47 ft
Secondary point: point, around 47 ft
Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 12 ft
Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 12 ft
Rock reef: rock pile, around 12 ft
Rock reef: rock pile, around 12 ft
Dock / pier line: dock line, around 10 ft
Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 8 ft
Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 8 ft
Shallow bay flat: feeding flat, around 6 ft
Back-bay flat: feeding flat, around 6 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Boat launch — ramp
Boat launch — ramp
Boat launch — ramp

Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

Nicola 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 Nicola Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Nicola Lake?

Nicola Lake is about 187 ft (57 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 Nicola Lake?

Anglers target burbot, cutthroat trout, kokanee, rainbow trout, lake whitefish on Nicola Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Nicola Lake?

Creek inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish Nicola Lake?

For burbot, the summer bite is best in after dark and midday. 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 Nicola Lake?

Fishing on Nicola 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

Sheep Lake 5 mi · Dartt Lake 8 mi · Lundbom Lake 8 mi · Saxon Lake 9 mi · Marquart Lake 9 mi · Helmer Lake 9 mi · Revelle Lake 9 mi · Morgan Lake 10 mi · Sophia Lake 11 mi · Mathew Lake 11 mi · Tom Peter Lake 11 mi · Tolman Lake 12 mi

See how Nicola Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best kokanee lakes in British Columbia · best lake whitefish lakes in British Columbia · best burbot lakes in British Columbia

More water nearby: Thompson-Nicola Regional District fishing maps (322 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.