Ross Lake Depth Map (Fraser Valley Regional District, BC)

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Lake depth chart

Ross Lake, BC

Max 525 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 ~6 months

Damselfly migration · forageJun 1 – Jul 31 · in ~8 months

Traveling sedge (giant lake caddis) · caddisJun 10 – Aug 15 · in ~8 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.

Depth · ft

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Recent catches at Ross Lake

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Fishing Ross Lake: what the data says

577-acre lake in British Columbia. The lake tops out around 525 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:

Traced from the shoreline, Ross Lake runs 576 acres with 5.3 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.6) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 0% of this chart, as modeled. Figure 1.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.2 mi at the beam. The water lies in Fraser Valley Regional District. For a second option, Thunder Lake lies 6 mi east.

Brook Trout fishing at Ross Lake

Spring puts brook trout in skinny water — 2 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 3 to 20 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 6 ft, rated good for spring brook trout. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm covers the summer program.

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

Cutthroat Trout fishing at Ross Lake

When the water first warms, cutthroat trout slide up into 3 to 15 ft. Summer is a 10 to 35 ft game here, winter a 10 to 40 ft one. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon
Summer	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner
Fall	5 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Casting spoon, Inline spinner
Winter	10 to 40 ft	dawn	open water	Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig

Rainbow Trout fishing at Ross Lake

In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 8 to 40 ft for winter. Spring rainbow trout concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a good-rated feeding flat around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon most summer days.

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	open water	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	8 to 40 ft	dawn	open water	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Dolly Varden fishing at Ross Lake

When the water first warms, dolly varden slide up into 1 to 30 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 40 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 45 ft. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a small chrome spoon or a baitfish streamer rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 30 ft	dawn & midday	open water	Small silver spoon, Inline spinner
Summer	2 to 40 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Small chrome spoon, Baitfish streamer
Fall	1 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Small spinner, Egg or fry pattern
Winter	8 to 45 ft	midday	open water	Small slow spoon, Weighted baitfish fly

Notable structure

6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 446 ft, is the deepest of them.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 446 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 236 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 131 ft
Secondary point: point, around 131 ft
Shallow bay flat: feeding flat, around 6 ft
Back-bay flat: feeding flat, around 6 ft

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

Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Ross Lake?

Ross Lake is about 525 ft (160 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 Ross Lake?

Anglers target brook trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, dolly varden on Ross Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Ross Lake?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 6 ft of water that rates good for brook trout in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish Ross 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 Ross Lake?

Fishing on Ross 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

Thunder Lake 6 mi · Poland Lake 8 mi · Strike Lake 9 mi · Flash Lake 10 mi · Lightning Lake 11 mi · Chilliwack Lake 16 mi · Flora Lake 17 mi · Nicomen Lake 18 mi · Greendrop Lake 19 mi · Lindeman Lake 19 mi · Foley Lake 24 mi · Pierce Lake 25 mi

See how Ross Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best brook trout lakes in British Columbia · best cutthroat trout lakes in British Columbia

More water nearby: Fraser Valley Regional District fishing maps (71 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.