Clearwater Lake
MU 3-46, Thompson-Nicola
52.2678° N, 120.2236° W
- Surface area
- 15ha
- Elevation
- 679m
Travel about 245 km. (152 mi.) west of Williams Lake into British Columbia's Chilcotin Region via The Chilcotin Highway Hwy 20. Clearwater Lake is on the south side of Hwy 20 with easy access right to the lake.
Open Clearwater Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at Clearwater Lake
Clearwater Lake is known for trophy Lake trout to 15 lb.
- Rainbow trout to 6 lb
- Lake trout to 15 lb
- Bull trout to 10 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.
Clearwater Lake at a glance
- Region
- Thompson-Nicola
- Management unit
- MU 3-46
- Species
- Rainbow Trout (last recorded 1994), Lake Trout, Bull Trout, Kokanee, Largescale Sucker (last recorded 1991), Rainbow Smelt (last recorded 1991), Redside Shiner (last recorded 1991)The province's newest fish record here is from 1996.Species from the province's fish observation records and angling reports.
- Lake size
- Small Water (< 50 ha)
- Ice fishing
- Open to ice fishing, confirmed
- Coordinates
- 52.2678, -120.2236
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Gear for lake trout
Lines, leaders, lures and flies for lake trout, searched on Amazon.ca.
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Fish on record at Clearwater Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 1952 | 1994 | 3 |
| Kokanee | 1943 | 1996 | 5 |
| Largescale Sucker | 1991 | 1991 | 1 |
| Rainbow Smelt | 1991 | 1991 | 1 |
| Redside Shiner | 1991 | 1991 | 1 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
How to fish Clearwater Lake
Best times of year at Clearwater Lake
- May - June
- September - October
Clearwater Lake fishing regulations
Rainbow trout daily quota = 2. Source: Province of British Columbia
Getting to Clearwater Lake
3 resorts with all facilties can be found at Clearwater Lake; boat launching, accommodations, camping areas & boat rentals. Also, a small BCFS campsite situated amongst mature spruce and meadows. Car top boats can be launched.
Coordinates: 52.2678, -120.2236
Camping and rec sites at Clearwater Lake
- Clearwater Lake Campground (Wells Gray Provincial Park)
40 vehicle-accessible campsites, concrete boat ramp, canoe rentals, cafe/store.
Facilities: Concrete Boat Launch, Canoe Rentals, Pit Toilets, Water Pump, Fire Rings, Tables
Access: Clearwater Valley Road (Paved / good gravel) - Falls Creek Campground (Wells Gray Provincial Park)
40 vehicle-accessible campsites on Clearwater Lake with trail connection to Osprey Falls.
Facilities: Pit Toilets, Fire Rings, Tables, Trails, Water Pump
Access: Clearwater Valley Road (Maintained 2WD gravel)
The ice year at Clearwater Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Clearwater Lake froze in 65 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 5 November and 18 November, and ice-off between 16 April and 3 May. The median winter freezes on 10 November and opens on 25 April.
the middle half of modelled winters the median ice cover in the median winter
Winter 2024-25 in the model: frozen from 18 November 2024 to 1 April 2025, 134 days.
Clearwater Lake is open to ice fishing under the regulations on file.
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.
Clearwater Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Clearwater 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
- 4.9 Caverage year now
- 4.0 Caverage year then
- -11 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Clearwater 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 | Overcast | 12° / 3° | 3 km/h, gusts 14 | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 14° / 4° | 7 km/h, gusts 25 | dry | Falling (-8.8 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Light drizzle | 12° / 4° | 7 km/h, gusts 23 | 1 mm | Steady |
| Fri 23 Oct | Overcast | 9° / 2° | 5 km/h, gusts 22 | dry | Rising (+13.9 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Light drizzle | 9° / 5° | 2 km/h, gusts 10 | dry | Falling (-1.1 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Partly cloudy | 9° / 2° | 4 km/h, gusts 18 | dry | Rising (+5.3 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Overcast | 9° / 2° | 3 km/h, gusts 14 | dry | Steady |
Clearwater Lake, in brief
What fish are in Clearwater Lake?
Rainbow Trout (last recorded 1994), Lake Trout, Bull Trout, Kokanee. Species from the province's fish observation records and angling reports.
Which management unit is Clearwater Lake in?
Clearwater Lake is in MU 3-46, in the Thompson-Nicola. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Clearwater Lake
- Azure Lake 14 km away
- Spanish Lake 23 km away
- Deception Lake 31 km away
- Crooked Lake 31 km away
- Gotchen Lake 35 km away
All 342 lakes in the Thompson-Nicola, with today's conditions on each.