Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
441-acre lake in British Columbia. The lake tops out around 427 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Traced from the shoreline, Saunders Lake runs 440 acres with 3.9 miles of edge. A shoreline index of 1.3 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. About 3% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 1.6 mi end to end and 0.7 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District. The nearest mapped water is Salter Lake, 3 mi to the southeast.
Spring puts rainbow trout in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 40 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 6 ft, rated good for spring rainbow trout. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| 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) |
In spring, kokanee run shallow here, mostly 10 to 30 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 30 to 70 ft before dropping to 20 to 80 ft for winter. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | open water | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn | open water | 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 | open water | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
Early season lake whitefish use the shallows, holding in 15 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 40 to 90 ft, then a winter hold in 25 to 70 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 6 ft that grades good for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon and you're in the game.
| 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 | open water | 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 | open water | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring puts burbot in skinny water — 25 to 70 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 50 to 120 ft, wintering in 15 to 60 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and midday. A heavy jig + cut bait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | open water | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | open water | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | open water | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | open water | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 363 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Saunders Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Saunders Lake is about 427 ft (130 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.
Anglers target rainbow trout, kokanee, lake whitefish, burbot on Saunders Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 6 ft of water that rates good for rainbow trout in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For rainbow 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.
Fishing on Saunders 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.
Salter Lake 3 mi · Sylvia Lake 6 mi · Lowe Lake 7 mi · Devon Lake 9 mi · Gavel Lake 11 mi · Alty Lake 14 mi · Alvin Lake 15 mi · Tuwartz Lake 16 mi · Ecstall Lake 17 mi · Lower Lake 17 mi · Caponero Lake 18 mi · Kumealon Lake 21 mi
See how Saunders Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best kokanee lakes in British Columbia · best lake whitefish lakes in British Columbia · best burbot lakes in British Columbia
More water nearby: Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District fishing maps (46 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.