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Fishing Waugh Lake: what the data says
184-acre lake in British Columbia. The lake tops out around 103 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The drawn water covers 184 acres wrapped in 3.2 miles of bank. A middling shoreline index (1.7) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. 7% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water.
Coho Salmon fishing at Waugh Lake
Early season coho salmon use the shallows, holding in 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 30 to 70 ft game here, winter a 20 to 60 ft one. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 46 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (46 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Break off the point (46 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Cutthroat Trout fishing at Waugh Lake
Start shallow in spring: cutthroat trout sit in 3 to 15 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 26-ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a trolled spoon (small) or a inline spinner until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Kokanee fishing at Waugh Lake
When the water first warms, kokanee slide up into 10 to 30 ft. By summer they slide out to 30 to 70 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 88 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (88 ft) | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn | Break off the point (46 ft) | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 5 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (46 ft) | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (88 ft) | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 88 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 46 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 26 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 26 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Waugh 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 Waugh Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Common questions
How deep is Waugh Lake?
Waugh Lake is about 103 ft (31 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 Waugh Lake?
Anglers target coho salmon, kokanee, cutthroat trout on Waugh Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Waugh Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 88 ft of water that rates prime for kokanee in winter. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
When is the best time to fish Waugh Lake?
For coho salmon, 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 Waugh Lake?
Fishing on Waugh 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
North Lake 1 mi · Klein Lake 2 mi · Ruby Lake 3 mi · Ambrose Lake 4 mi · Sakinaw Lake 6 mi · West Lake 7 mi · Katherine Lake 7 mi · Mixal Lake 8 mi · Garden Bay Lake 8 mi · Hotel Lake 9 mi · Lily Lake 10 mi · Rainy Day Lake 10 mi
See how Waugh Lake stacks up: best coho salmon lakes in British Columbia · best kokanee lakes in British Columbia · best cutthroat trout lakes in British Columbia
Browse all British Columbia fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.