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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
94-acre lake in Nanaimo Regional District, British Columbia. The lake tops out around 64 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Traced from the shoreline, Shelton Lake runs 94 acres with 2 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.5) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 13% of this chart, as modeled. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.8 mi with a 0.3-mi widest point. You'll find it in Nanaimo Regional District. The nearest mapped water is Healy Lake, 1 mi to the north.
Spring puts kokanee in skinny water — 10 to 30 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 19 to 64 ft, wintering in 16 to 64 ft. Summer kokanee concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 54 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (29 ft) | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 19 to 64 ft | dawn | Deep basin (54 ft) | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 5 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (29 ft) | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 16 to 64 ft | dawn | Deep basin (54 ft) | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 40 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 29 ft, rated prime for winter rainbow trout. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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 | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (29 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (29 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 54 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 Shelton Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Shelton Lake is about 64 ft (20 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 kokanee, rainbow trout on Shelton Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 54 ft of water that rates prime for kokanee in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For kokanee, the summer bite is best in 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 Shelton 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.
Healy Lake 1 mi · Third Lake 3 mi · Rhododendron Lake 5 mi · Fourth Lake 6 mi · Blackjack Lake 7 mi · Nanaimo Lakes 8 mi · Cottle Lake 8 mi · Boomerang Lake 8 mi · Kidney Lake 9 mi · Round Lake 9 mi · Lucid Lake 12 mi · Barsby Lake 12 mi
See how Shelton Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best kokanee lakes in British Columbia
More water nearby: Nanaimo Regional District fishing maps (33 charts). Browse all British Columbia fishing maps or 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.