Big O.K. (Island) Lake
MU 3-18, Thompson-Nicola
50.4806° N, 121.1211° W
- Surface area
- 38.1ha
- Elevation
- 1,495m
- Campsites
- 7
- At Big Ok Lake (Island Lake) rec site
Big O.K. (Island) Lake sits in the Thompson-Nicola region at 1495 m elevation, a small water (< 50 ha) reachable via the region's usual road and trail network. Use the map view for exact coordinates and turn-by-turn directions.
Open Big O.K. (Island) Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at Big O.K. (Island) Lake
Big O.K. (Island) Lake is known for trophy Rainbow trout to 8 lb.
- Rainbow trout to 8 lb
Trophy sizes this lake is known for, not a typical catch. They are historical records from our own big fish list, with no date on file, not recent catches.
Big O.K. (Island) Lake at a glance
- Region
- Thompson-Nicola
- Management unit
- MU 3-18
- Species
- Rainbow TroutThe newest of these fish records is from 2026.Species from the province's fish observation records.
- Lake size
- Small Water (< 50 ha)
- Ice fishing
- Closed to ice fishing
- Coordinates
- 50.4806, -121.1211
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Gear for rainbow trout
Lines, leaders, lures and flies for rainbow trout, searched on Amazon.ca.
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What people catch at Big O.K. (Island) Lake
Artificial fly only, one fish a day and none over 50 cm. Rainbows of 3 lb are the run of the lake and 8 lb fish are not unheard of. The gear rule and the size protection are the reason.
- Rainbow Trout Stocked
Typically 3 lb and up
Bigger fish: 8 lb and up is not unheard of
Clear water with shoals and a submerged island, fished mostly with chironomids.
Source: BC Adventure
The rule that shapes it. No Ice Fishing; rainbow trout daily quota = 1 (none over 50 cm); artificial fly only, bait ban, single hook. Source: Province of British Columbia
Fish on record at Big O.K. (Island) Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 1976 | 2026 | 79 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
How to fish Big O.K. (Island) Lake
Best times of year at Big O.K. (Island) Lake
- May - June
- September - October
Big O.K. (Island) Lake fishing regulations
No Ice Fishing; rainbow trout daily quota = 1 (none over 50 cm); artificial fly only, bait ban, single hook. Source: Province of British Columbia
Getting to Big O.K. (Island) Lake
9.9 km of traced road to the campground. The road at the end is a rough surface.
Coordinates: 50.4806, -121.1211
Camping and rec sites at Big O.K. (Island) Lake
- Big Ok Lake (Island Lake)
- Campsites
- 7 designated
- To the shore
- 32 m
Access: As of July 3, 2012 the traditional access route to this site via the property of the Highland Valley Copper Mine is no longer available. So once you have exited the Logan Lake to Ashcroft highway )97D) near the west end of mine follow the road until you see the turn off marked Laura Lake. Turn right onto Laura Lakes Road and continue on for about 7 km. Turn left here. This turnoff is near Laura Lakes. Follow this road to the 14 km mark to Calling Lake. From Calling Lake proceed north for about 5 km and then turn left which will bring you to the northeast end of the lake where the recreation site is located. A 4X4 truck is highly recommended.
Coordinates: 50.484586, -121.119302
The ice year at Big O.K. (Island) Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Big O.K. (Island) Lake froze in 65 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 26 October and 5 November, and ice-off between 15 May and 4 June. The median winter freezes on 31 October and opens on 26 May.
the middle half of modelled winters the median ice cover in the median winter
Winter 2024-25 in the model: frozen from 28 October 2024 to 15 May 2025, 199 days.
Big O.K. (Island) Lake is closed to ice fishing.
Whether a lake is open to ice fishing says nothing about whether its ice will hold you. Ice conditions vary year to year and across a single lake. Check locally before going out, every time.
Big O.K. (Island) Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Big O.K. (Island) Lake is 1.2 C warmer than it was in the 1960s. That is 66 years of daily readings, not a forecast.
- +1.2 Csince the 1960s
- 3.0 Caverage year now
- 1.8 Caverage year then
- -9 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Big O.K. (Island) Lake
The forecast on this lake's own coordinate, refreshed through the day. The app reads these seven days for fishing and scores each one.
| Day | Sky | High / low | Wind | Rain | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 20 Oct | Clear sky | 9° / -3° | 11 km/h | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 14° / 2° | 18 km/h, gusts 33 | dry | Falling (-7.6 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Overcast | 7° / 0° | 11 km/h, gusts 19 | dry | Steady |
| Fri 23 Oct | Light drizzle | 5° / -4° | 11 km/h, gusts 24 | dry | Rising (+12.6 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Overcast | 4° / -6° | 12 km/h | dry | Rising (+6.2 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Partly cloudy | 4° / -7° | 8 km/h | dry | Rising (+2.3 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Partly cloudy | 7° / -7° | 5 km/h | dry | Falling (-1.9 hPa) |
Big O.K. (Island) Lake, in brief
What fish are in Big O.K. (Island) Lake?
Rainbow Trout. Species from the province's fish observation records.
Which management unit is Big O.K. (Island) Lake in?
Big O.K. (Island) Lake is in MU 3-18, in the Thompson-Nicola. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Big O.K. (Island) Lake
- Calling Lake 3 km away
- Pimainus Lakes 9 km away
- Pimainus Lakes 9 km away
- Bose Lake 12 km away
- Roscoe Lake 15 km away
All 342 lakes in the Thompson-Nicola, with today's conditions on each.