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Fishing St. Mary Lake: what the data says
845-acre lake near British Columbia. The lake tops out around 69 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Burbot fishing at St. Mary Lake
Start shallow in spring: burbot sit in 21 to 69 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 21 to 69 ft, and winter fish hold in 15 to 60 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 59 ft that scores prime in spring. Plan around after dark and midday in the warm months. A heavy jig + cut bait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 21 to 69 ft | night & dusk | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 21 to 69 ft | night & midday | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 21 to 69 ft | night & dusk | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Cutthroat Trout fishing at St. Mary Lake
Spring cutthroat trout on St. Mary Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 31 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a trolled spoon (small) or a inline spinner and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Kokanee fishing at St. Mary Lake
In spring, kokanee run shallow here, mostly 10 to 30 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 21 to 69 ft, and winter fish settle into 17 to 69 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 59 ft of water that rates prime for kokanee in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. A dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 21 to 69 ft | dawn | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 5 to 40 ft | dawn | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 17 to 69 ft | dawn | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
Rainbow Trout fishing at St. Mary Lake
Spring rainbow trout on St. Mary 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. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 31 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Lake Whitefish fishing at St. Mary Lake
In spring, lake whitefish run shallow here, mostly 15 to 45 ft. They move out to 21 to 69 ft in summer and finish the year down in 21 to 69 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 59 ft, rated prime for summer lake whitefish. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 21 to 69 ft | dawn | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 21 to 69 ft | midday & dawn | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 59 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 31 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 17 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 17 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Common questions
How deep is St. Mary Lake?
St. Mary Lake is about 69 ft (21 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 St. Mary Lake?
Anglers target rainbow trout, kokanee, lake whitefish, burbot, cutthroat trout on St. Mary Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on St. Mary Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 59 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish St. Mary Lake?
For burbot, the summer bite is best in after dark and midday. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Jim Smith Lake · Hahas Lake · Monroe Lake · Mcnair Lakes · Mcnair Lakes · Hiawatha Lake
See how St. Mary 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
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