North Barriere Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (BC)

Skip to interactive depth chart

Lake depth chart

North Barriere Lake, BC

Max 177 ft

Today's read

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.

Loading depth chart…

Recent catches at North Barriere 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 North Barriere Lake on the board.

Fishing North Barriere Lake: what the data says

1,231-acre lake in Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia. The lake tops out around 177 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.

The outline encloses 1,231 acres, worked by 10.5 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (2.1) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. About 3% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 4.5 mi long by 0.8 mi wide at the broadest reach. Thompson-Nicola Regional District claims this one. East Barriere Lake sits 4 mi southeast — the closest neighbouring chart.

Brook Trout fishing at North Barriere Lake

Come spring, look for brook trout tight to the bank in 2 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a feeding flat around 6 ft that scores good in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm is the honest summer answer here.

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

Burbot fishing at North Barriere Lake

Spring burbot on North Barriere Lake hold shallow, usually 25 to 70 ft. They move out to 50 to 120 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 60 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 80 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run after dark and midday. The summer box starts with a heavy jig + cut bait.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	25 to 70 ft	night & dusk	Deep basin (150 ft)	Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark)
Summer	50 to 120 ft	night & midday	Break off the point (80 ft)	Heavy jig + cut bait
Fall	30 to 80 ft	night & dusk	Break off the point (80 ft)	Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow)
Winter	15 to 60 ft	night & dusk	Deep basin (150 ft)	Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head

Kokanee fishing at North Barriere Lake

Come spring, look for kokanee tight to the bank in 10 to 30 ft. They move out to 30 to 70 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 80 ft that scores good in winter. Best bite is early morning. A dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	10 to 30 ft	dawn	Deep basin (150 ft)	Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn
Summer	30 to 70 ft	dawn	Deep basin (150 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	Break off the point (80 ft)	Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon

Lake Trout fishing at North Barriere Lake

Spring lake trout on North Barriere Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 50 to 120 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 80 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 80 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	10 to 40 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (44 ft)	Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow)
Summer	50 to 120 ft	dawn	Break off the point (80 ft)	White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger
Fall	10 to 50 ft	dusk & dawn	Main-lake point (44 ft)	Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs
Winter	20 to 80 ft	dawn	Break off the point (80 ft)	White tube jig, Airplane jig

Rainbow Trout fishing at North Barriere Lake

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 Shallow bay flat. It's a feeding flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates good come spring. 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	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (44 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	8 to 40 ft	dawn	Break off the point (80 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Lake Whitefish fishing at North Barriere Lake

In spring, lake whitefish run shallow here, mostly 15 to 45 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 40 to 90 ft before dropping to 25 to 70 ft for winter. Summer lake whitefish concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 80 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	15 to 45 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small)
Summer	40 to 90 ft	dawn	Break off the point (80 ft)	Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon
Fall	8 to 30 ft	dusk	open water	Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva
Winter	25 to 70 ft	midday & dawn	Break off the point (80 ft)	Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie

Notable structure

The chart marks 6 structure features on North Barriere Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 150 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 150 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 80 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 44 ft
Secondary point: point, around 44 ft
Shallow bay flat: feeding flat, around 6 ft
Back-bay flat: feeding flat, around 6 ft

Public access & boat ramps

North Barriere Lake — carry-in access

Access data: British Columbia Recreation Sites and Trails - Recreation Sites Subset. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

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

Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is North Barriere Lake?

North Barriere Lake is about 177 ft (54 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 North Barriere Lake?

Anglers target brook trout, burbot, kokanee, lake trout, rainbow trout, lake whitefish on North Barriere Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on North Barriere Lake?

Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 80 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in winter. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish North Barriere Lake?

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.

What are the fishing regulations for North Barriere Lake?

Fishing on North Barriere 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

East Barriere Lake 4 mi · Saskum Lake 8 mi · South Barriere Lake 9 mi · Upper South Barriere Lake 10 mi · Johnson Lake 12 mi · Mctaggart Lakes 13 mi · Genier Lakes 14 mi · Dunn Lake 14 mi · Adams Lake 15 mi · Forest Lake 17 mi · Hallamore Lake 17 mi · Running Bear Lake 19 mi

See how North Barriere Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best lake trout lakes in British Columbia · best brook trout lakes in British Columbia · best kokanee 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.