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Fishing Santa Maria Lake: what the data says
24-acre lake in British Columbia. The lake tops out around 40 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Santa Maria Lake maps at 24 acres behind 1.1 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (1.6) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. About 52% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone.
Cutthroat Trout fishing at Santa Maria Lake
In spring, cutthroat trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 15 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 35 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 40 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 18 ft, rated prime for summer cutthroat trout. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a trolled spoon (small) or a inline spinner most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (18 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Rainbow Trout fishing at Santa Maria Lake
Spring rainbow trout on Santa Maria Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 40 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 18 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run 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 | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (18 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 34 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 18 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 10 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 10 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 5 ft
Santa Maria 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 Santa Maria Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Common questions
How deep is Santa Maria Lake?
Santa Maria Lake is about 40 ft (12 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 Santa Maria Lake?
Anglers target rainbow trout, cutthroat trout on Santa Maria Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Santa Maria Lake?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 18 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Santa Maria Lake?
For cutthroat 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 Santa Maria Lake?
Fishing on Santa Maria 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
Tlowils Lake 3 mi · Keta Lake 4 mi · Haihte Lake 6 mi · Rooney Lake 10 mi · Spirit Lake 13 mi · Mccreight Lake 14 mi · Seabird Lake 15 mi · Pye Lake 16 mi · Grace Lake 16 mi · Schoen Lake 16 mi · Stewart Lake 17 mi · Third Lake 17 mi
See how Santa Maria Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best cutthroat trout lakes in British Columbia
Browse all British Columbia fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.