Lake depth chart
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Rating depth structure for arctic grayling.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
1,281-acre lake in Stikine Region, British Columbia. The lake tops out around 62 ft. The surface is reconstructed from 114 measured spot soundings collected in 1986; water between those measurements is interpolated. Treat the contours between those soundings as a guide, never as navigation. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Prairie Lake maps at 1,281 acres behind 7.9 miles of shoreline, broken up by an island. A middling shoreline index (1.6) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. About 51% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 2 mi long by 1.6 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Stikine Region. Gun Lake sits 7 mi southwest — the closest neighbouring chart.
When the water first warms, arctic grayling slide up into 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 25 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow feeding flat 1: a feeding flat around 20 ft that scores good in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a dry fly (parachute adams, elk hair caddis) or a small inline spinner rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/16 oz spinner (silver), Small dry fly (Adams, Griffith's) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Dry fly (parachute Adams, elk hair caddis), Small inline spinner |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | open water | Small spoon, Beadhead nymph under indicator |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat 1 (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + waxworm, Small jigging spoon (gold) |
Early season lake trout use the shallows, holding in 10 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 19 to 61.68 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 61.68 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 62 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger and you're in the game.
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 | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (32 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 19 to 61.68 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Deep basin (62 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (32 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 15 to 61.68 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (62 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Come spring, look for rainbow trout tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 40 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 32 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (32 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (32 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (32 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 32 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (32 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (32 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (32 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts lake whitefish in skinny water — 15 to 45 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 19 to 61.68 ft, wintering in 19 to 61.68 ft. Summer lake whitefish concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 62 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon covers the summer program.
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 | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (32 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 19 to 61.68 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (62 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (32 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 19 to 61.68 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (62 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Prairie Lake carries 8 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 62 ft down.
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 Prairie Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Prairie Lake is about 61.68 ft (19 m) deep at its deepest point. The surface is reconstructed from 114 measured spot soundings collected in 1986; water between those measurements is interpolated. Treat the contours between those soundings as a guide, never as navigation.
Anglers target arctic grayling, lake trout, rainbow trout, walleye, lake whitefish on Prairie Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 62 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For arctic grayling, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Prairie 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.
Gun Lake 7 mi · Chismaina Lake 10 mi · Disella Lake 16 mi · Kedahda Lake 19 mi · Victoria Lake 28 mi · Aconitum Lake 28 mi · Hyland Lake 28 mi · Nakina Lake 29 mi · Tachilta Lakes 34 mi · Butte Lake 38 mi · Tuya Lake 38 mi · Camp Island Lake 40 mi
See how Prairie Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in British Columbia · best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best lake trout lakes in British Columbia · best lake whitefish lakes in British Columbia
More water nearby: Stikine Region fishing maps (88 charts). Browse all British Columbia fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: British Columbia Fish and Wildlife Branch · Prairie Lake historic bathymetric chart spot soundings; contour geometry independently interpolated by 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.