Stave Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (BC)

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Lake depth chart

Stave Lake, BC

Max 331 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 ~7 months

Damselfly migration · forageJun 1 – Jul 31 · in ~9 months

Traveling sedge (giant lake caddis) · caddisJun 10 – Aug 15 · in ~9 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.

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Recent catches at Stave Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Stave Lake on the board.

Fishing Stave Lake: what the data says

13,894-acre lake in Fraser Valley Regional District, British Columbia. The lake tops out around 331 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.

Traced from the shoreline, Stave Lake runs 13,897 acres with 61.8 miles of edge, broken up by 5 islands. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 3.7) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 6% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 16.9 mi, about 4.7 mi across. You'll find it in Fraser Valley Regional District. For a second option, Twin Lakes lies 2 mi east.

Brook Trout fishing at Stave Lake

Spring puts brook trout in skinny water — 2 to 15 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 3 to 20 ft. Summer brook trout concentrate at Sharp break, a prime-rated drop-off around 15 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. 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	Sharp break (15 ft)	Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Sharp break (15 ft)	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	Sharp break (15 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic

Brown Bullhead fishing at Stave Lake

Spring puts brown bullhead in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 12 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for summer brown bullhead. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 8 ft	dusk & night	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)
Summer	3 to 12 ft	night & dusk	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)
Fall	5 to 15 ft	dusk	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)
Winter	10 to 25 ft	midday	Deep basin (281 ft)

Cutthroat Trout fishing at Stave Lake

When the water first warms, cutthroat trout slide up into 3 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sharp break: a drop-off around 15 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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	Sharp break (15 ft)	Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon
Summer	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Sharp break (15 ft)	Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner
Fall	5 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Sharp break (15 ft)	Casting spoon, Inline spinner
Winter	10 to 40 ft	dawn	Sharp break (15 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig

Kokanee fishing at Stave Lake

Spring puts kokanee in skinny water — 10 to 30 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 30 to 70 ft, wintering in 20 to 80 ft. Summer kokanee concentrate at Offshore hump, a prime-rated offshore hump around 57 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	Sharp break (15 ft)	Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn
Summer	30 to 70 ft	dawn	Offshore hump (57 ft)	Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn
Fall	5 to 40 ft	dawn	Sharp break (15 ft)	Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon
Winter	20 to 80 ft	dawn	Offshore hump (57 ft)	Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon

Rainbow Trout fishing at Stave Lake

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. Sharp break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 15 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	Sharp break (15 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	8 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Sharp break (15 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Sharp break (15 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	8 to 40 ft	dawn	Sharp break (15 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Notable structure

12 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 281 ft, is the deepest of them.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 281 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 149 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 83 ft
Secondary point: point, around 83 ft
Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 57 ft
Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 17 ft
Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 16 ft
Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 15 ft
Sharp break: drop-off, around 15 ft
Sharp break: drop-off, around 15 ft
Shallow bay flat: feeding flat, around 6 ft
Back-bay flat: feeding flat, around 6 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Lower Kearsley — carry-in access
Rocky Point — public recreation site

Access data: British Columbia Recreation Sites and Trails - Recreation Sites Subset. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

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

Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Stave Lake?

Stave Lake is about 331 ft (101 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 Stave Lake?

Anglers target brook trout, brown bullhead, cutthroat trout, kokanee, rainbow trout on Stave Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Stave Lake?

Sharp break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 15 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 Stave 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 Stave Lake?

Fishing on Stave 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

Twin Lakes 2 mi · Morgan Lake 2 mi · Twin Lakes 2 mi · Florence Lake 2 mi · Sayres Lake 2 mi · Salsbury Lake 3 mi · Davis Lake 4 mi · Kenyon Lake 5 mi · Alouette Lake 5 mi · Cannell Lake 6 mi · Devils Lake 6 mi · Hoover Lake 6 mi

See how Stave Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best brook trout lakes in British Columbia · best kokanee 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 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.