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Fishing Okanagan Lake: what the data says
86,170-acre lake near British Columbia. The lake tops out around 794 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. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Brook Trout fishing at Okanagan Lake
Start shallow in spring: brook trout sit in 2 to 15 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 3 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores good in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Burbot fishing at Okanagan Lake
Spring burbot on Okanagan 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. If you only fish one area, make it Deep break: a drop-off around 64 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is after dark and midday. Tie on a heavy jig + cut bait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Cutthroat Trout fishing at Okanagan Lake
In spring, cutthroat trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 357 ft of water that rates good for cutthroat trout in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A trolled spoon (small) or a inline spinner covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Kokanee fishing at Okanagan Lake
Start shallow in spring: kokanee sit in 10 to 30 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 30 to 70 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 80 ft. The spot to know is Deep break, a drop-off in about 64 ft of water that rates prime for kokanee in summer. 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 | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 5 to 40 ft | dawn | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
Lake Trout fishing at Okanagan Lake
In spring, lake trout run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 50 to 120 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep break: a drop-off around 64 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Pumpkinseed fishing at Okanagan Lake
Spring pumpkinseed on Okanagan Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 10 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 18 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. A micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Okanagan Lake also holds smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), rainbow trout (8 to 30 ft in summer), lake whitefish (40 to 90 ft in summer), yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 675 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 357 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 199 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 199 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 174.33171510486852 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 111.04677636288585 ft
- Deep break: drop-off, around 108 ft
- Deep break: drop-off, around 108 ft
- Deep break: drop-off, around 107 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 85.33338789908062 ft
- Deep break: drop-off, around 64 ft
- Deep break: drop-off, around 64 ft
- Deep break: drop-off, around 64 ft
- Deep break: drop-off, around 63 ft
Common questions
How deep is Okanagan Lake?
Okanagan Lake is about 794 ft (242 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 Okanagan Lake?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, yellow perch, lake trout, brook trout, kokanee, lake whitefish, burbot, cutthroat trout, pumpkinseed on Okanagan Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Okanagan Lake?
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for pumpkinseed in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Okanagan 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.
Nearby waters
Ellison Lake · Wood Lake · Big Meadow Lake · Jackpine Lake · Islaht Lake · Dobbin Lake
See how Okanagan Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in British Columbia · best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best yellow perch lakes in British Columbia · best lake trout lakes in British Columbia
Browse all British Columbia fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.