Bonaparte Lake
MU 3-30, Thompson-Nicola
51.2603° N, 120.5578° W
- Surface area
- 3356.1ha
- Maximum depth
- 98m
- 322 ft
- Elevation
- 1,169m
- Campsites
- 4
- At Bonaparte Lake rec site
Open Bonaparte Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at Bonaparte Lake
Bonaparte Lake is known for trophy Lake trout to 15 lb.
- Rainbow trout to 8 lb
- Lake trout to 15 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.
Bonaparte Lake at a glance
- Region
- Thompson-Nicola
- Management unit
- MU 3-30
- Species
- Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Kokanee, Mountain Whitefish (last recorded 1978), Largescale Sucker (last recorded 1993), Northern Pikeminnow (last recorded 1993), Western Pearlshell Mussel (last recorded 1980), Longnose Dace (last recorded 1978), Peamouth Chub (last recorded 1978), Redside Shiner (last recorded 1978)The province's newest fish record here is from 2001.Species from the province's fish observation records and angling reports.
- Lake size
- Large Water (> 500 ha)
- Catch and release
- Yes
- Ice fishing
- No ice fishing closure on file
- Coordinates
- 51.2603, -120.5578
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Gear for lake trout
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Fish on record at Bonaparte Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 1950 | 1998 | 3 |
| Kokanee | 1978 | 2001 | 3 |
| Mountain Whitefish | 1978 | 1978 | 1 |
| Largescale Sucker | 1978 | 1993 | 2 |
| Northern Pikeminnow | 1978 | 1993 | 2 |
| Western Pearlshell Mussel | 1980 | 1980 | 1 |
| Longnose Dace | 1978 | 1978 | 1 |
| Peamouth Chub | 1978 | 1978 | 1 |
| Redside Shiner | 1978 | 1978 | 1 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
How to fish Bonaparte Lake
Best times of year at Bonaparte Lake
- May - June
- September - October
Bonaparte Lake fishing regulations
We have no lake specific regulations on file for Bonaparte Lake yet.
Getting to Bonaparte Lake
29.2 km of traced road to the campground by way of Bonaparte-Spur Lake FSR, Eagan-Bonaparte Lake FSR, Eagan Lake Rd, Knight Lake Rd, Double T Rd, N Bonaparte Rd and Bridge Lake Business Rte. The road at the end is a loose surface.
Coordinates: 51.2603, -120.5578
Camping and rec sites at Bonaparte Lake
- Bonaparte Lake South Shore
No campsite count on file (BC Recreation Sites and Trails)
Access: Open grassy government recreation site with 4 campsites. Good gravel boat and trailer launch. Outhouses, firepits, no dock and no beach. The recreation site is suitable for RV's and trailers. The site is a popular destination for hunters and fishers. Bonaparte Lake is a large lake that can have extr - Bonaparte Lake
- Campsites
- 4 designated
- To the shore
- 58 m
Coordinates: 51.282374, -120.671435
Depth chart for Bonaparte Lake
98 mdeepest40.3 mmean
Bonaparte Lake runs to 98 m (322 ft) at its deepest.
The mean of 40.3 m (132 ft) is read off the same chart, surveyed in June 1979.
The Province sounded Bonaparte Lake and published the depth chart surveyed in 1979. It runs to 3 sheets.
The ice year at Bonaparte Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Bonaparte Lake froze in 65 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 4 November and 17 November, and ice-off between 1 May and 16 May. The median winter freezes on 10 November and opens on 10 May.
the middle half of modelled winters the median ice cover in the median winter
Winter 2024-25 in the model: frozen from 15 November 2024 to 26 April 2025, 162 days.
No ice fishing closure is recorded for Bonaparte Lake, so the general regional regulations apply.
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.
Bonaparte Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Bonaparte Lake is 0.9 C warmer than it was in the 1960s. That is 66 years of daily readings, not a forecast.
- +0.9 Csince the 1960s
- 4.1 Caverage year now
- 3.2 Caverage year then
- -7 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Bonaparte 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 | 11° / 1° | 16 km/h, gusts 31 | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 14° / 5° | 16 km/h, gusts 31 | dry | Falling (-9.5 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Overcast | 8° / 0° | 18 km/h, gusts 41 | dry | Rising (+2.3 hPa) |
| Fri 23 Oct | Overcast | 5° / -2° | 9 km/h, gusts 24 | dry | Rising (+14.3 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Overcast | 6° / 1° | 10 km/h, gusts 19 | dry | Falling (-2.5 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Partly cloudy | 6° / -1° | 8 km/h, gusts 23 | dry | Rising (+5.3 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Overcast | 9° / 0° | 11 km/h, gusts 23 | dry | Falling (-2.7 hPa) |
Bonaparte Lake, in brief
What fish are in Bonaparte Lake?
Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Kokanee, Mountain Whitefish (last recorded 1978). Species from the province's fish observation records and angling reports.
Which management unit is Bonaparte Lake in?
Bonaparte Lake is in MU 3-30, in the Thompson-Nicola. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Bonaparte Lake
- Secret Lake 6 km away
- Mayson Lake 11 km away
- Hammer Lake 11 km away
- Akehurst Lake 11 km away
- Machete Lake 14 km away
All 342 lakes in the Thompson-Nicola, with today's conditions on each.