Stephen Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (BC)

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Lake depth chart

Stephen Lake, BC

Max 59 ft

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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.

Depth · ft

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Recent catches at Stephen Lake

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Fishing Stephen Lake: what the data says

279-acre lake in Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia. The lake tops out around 59 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. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.

Traced from the shoreline, Stephen Lake runs 279 acres with 3.1 miles of edge. At index 1.3 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 13% of this chart, as modeled. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.1 mi with a 0.6-mi widest point. The water lies in Cariboo Regional District. For a second option, Rond Lake lies 1 mi northwest.

Kokanee fishing at Stephen Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: kokanee in 10 to 30 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 18 to 59 ft before dropping to 15 to 59 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 50 ft of water that rates prime for kokanee in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	10 to 30 ft	dawn	Break off the point (27 ft)	Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn
Summer	18 to 59 ft	dawn	Deep basin (50 ft)	Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn
Fall	5 to 40 ft	dawn	Break off the point (27 ft)	Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon
Winter	15 to 59 ft	dawn	Deep basin (50 ft)	Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon

Lake Trout fishing at Stephen Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: lake trout in 10 to 40 ft. As the season builds they drop to 18 to 59 ft, wintering in 15 to 59 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 50 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	10 to 40 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (15 ft)	Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow)
Summer	18 to 59 ft	dawn	Deep basin (50 ft)	White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger
Fall	10 to 50 ft	dusk & dawn	Main-lake point (15 ft)	Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs
Winter	15 to 59 ft	dawn	Deep basin (50 ft)	White tube jig, Airplane jig

Rainbow Trout fishing at Stephen Lake

Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 27 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (15 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	8 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (27 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (15 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	8 to 40 ft	dawn	Break off the point (27 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Lake Whitefish fishing at Stephen Lake

Come spring, look for lake whitefish tight to the bank in 15 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 18 to 59 ft, then a winter hold in 18 to 59 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 50 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	15 to 45 ft	midday & dawn	Break off the point (27 ft)	Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small)
Summer	18 to 59 ft	dawn	Deep basin (50 ft)	Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon
Fall	8 to 30 ft	dusk	Break off the point (27 ft)	Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva
Winter	18 to 59 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (50 ft)	Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie

Notable structure

6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 50 ft, is the deepest of them.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 50 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 27 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 15 ft
Secondary point: point, around 15 ft
Shallow bay flat: feeding flat, around 6 ft
Back-bay flat: feeding flat, around 6 ft

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

Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Stephen Lake?

Stephen Lake is about 59 ft (18 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 Stephen Lake?

Anglers target kokanee, lake trout, rainbow trout, lake whitefish on Stephen Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Stephen Lake?

Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 50 ft of water that rates prime for kokanee in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.

When is the best time to fish Stephen Lake?

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.

What are the fishing regulations for Stephen Lake?

Fishing on Stephen 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

Rond Lake 1 mi · Stony Lake 4 mi · Slender Lake 4 mi · Cameron Lake 8 mi · Fourteen Mile Lake 8 mi · Mcdonald Lake 8 mi · Crescent Lake 9 mi · Wendle Lake 11 mi · Lodi Lake 12 mi · Hay Lake 12 mi · Narrow Lake 13 mi · Haggen Lakes 13 mi

See how Stephen Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best lake trout lakes in British Columbia · best kokanee lakes in British Columbia · best lake whitefish lakes in British Columbia

More water nearby: Cariboo Regional District fishing maps (445 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.