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Rating depth structure for cutthroat trout.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
5-acre lake in Nanaimo Regional District, British Columbia. The lake tops out around 12 ft. The depth chart comes from British Columbia Fish and Wildlife Branch bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The drawn water covers 5 acres wrapped in 0.4 miles of bank. Nearly circular (index 1.1), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. It sits in Nanaimo Regional District. If the bite dies, Shelton Lake is 3 mi to the north.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: cutthroat trout in 2 to 12 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 12 ft through summer, 3 to 12 ft in winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (3 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (3 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 2 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (3 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
When the water first warms, rainbow trout slide up into 3 to 12 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 12 ft, winter 2 to 12 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 3 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (3 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (3 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (3 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (3 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring coho salmon on Third Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 12 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 4 to 12 ft in summer, 4 to 12 ft once it turns cold. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 5 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (5 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 2 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (3 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
In spring, dolly varden run shallow here, mostly 1 to 12 ft. Summer keeps them at 1 to 12 ft, and they winter in 2 to 12 ft. Spring dolly varden concentrate at Main-lake point, a prime-rated point around 1 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a small chrome spoon or a baitfish streamer most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 1 to 30 ft | dawn & midday | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small silver spoon, Inline spinner |
| Summer | 1 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small chrome spoon, Baitfish streamer |
| Fall | 1 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 1 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small spinner, Egg or fry pattern |
| Winter | 2 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (3 ft) | Small slow spoon, Weighted baitfish fly |
3 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 5 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 Third Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Third Lake is about 12 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from British Columbia Fish and Wildlife Branch bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, coho salmon, dolly varden on Third Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For cutthroat 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 Third 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.
Shelton Lake 3 mi · Healy Lake 4 mi · Fourth Lake 5 mi · Rhododendron Lake 7 mi · Nanaimo Lakes 7 mi · Blackjack Lake 8 mi · Cottle Lake 10 mi · Boomerang Lake 10 mi · Kidney Lake 11 mi · Round Lake 11 mi · Barsby Lake 11 mi · Lucid Lake 12 mi
See how Third Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best coho salmon lakes in British Columbia · best cutthroat trout lakes in British Columbia
More water nearby: Nanaimo Regional District fishing maps (33 charts). Browse all British Columbia fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Depth data: British Columbia Fish and Wildlife Branch, FISS lake surveys. 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.