Forest Lake
MU 5-2, Cariboo
52.2940° N, 122.0341° W
- Surface area
- 98.1ha
- Maximum depth
- 7m
- 23 ft. Province survey
- Elevation
- 925m
- Campsites
- 11
- At Forest Lake rec site
Open Forest Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at Forest Lake
Forest Lake is known for trophy Rainbow trout to 6 lb.
- Rainbow trout to 6 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.
Forest Lake at a glance
- Region
- Cariboo
- Management unit
- MU 5-2
- Species
- Rainbow Trout, Brook TroutThe newest of these fish records is from 2025.Species from the province's fish observation records.
- Lake size
- Medium Lake (50 - 500 ha)
- Ice fishing
- Closed to ice fishing
- Coordinates
- 52.293966, -122.034063
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Gear for rainbow trout
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Fish on record at Forest Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 1981 | 2025 | 68 |
| Brook Trout | 2001 | 2001 | 1 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
Forest Lake fishing regulations
No Ice Fishing; Trout daily quota = 1 (none under 50 cm); artificial fly only; bait ban; engine power restriction - 7.5 kW (10 hp). Source: Province of British Columbia
Getting to Forest Lake
11.1 km of traced road to the campground by way of Normando Rd, Forest Lake FSR and Lynes Creek Rd. The road at the end is a rough surface.
Coordinates: 52.293966, -122.034063
Camping and rec sites at Forest Lake
- Forest Lake
- Campsites
- 11 designated
- To the shore
- 0 m
Access: From Hwy 97 turn right onto Lyne Creek Road, follow this for 7.5km, turn onto the Forest Lake Road for another 2.5km.
Coordinates: 52.297911, -122.048291
Depth chart for Forest Lake
7 mdeepest5 mmean
Forest Lake runs to 7 m (23 ft) at its deepest, by the Province survey.
The Province sounded Forest Lake and published the depth chart. It runs to 2 sheets.
The ice year at Forest Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Forest Lake froze in 65 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 3 November and 17 November, and ice-off between 16 April and 5 May. The median winter freezes on 10 November and opens on 27 April.
the middle half of modelled winters the median ice cover in the median winter
Winter 2024-25 in the model: frozen from 14 November 2024 to 17 April 2025, 154 days.
Forest 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.
Winterkill at Forest Lake
- Winter 2022-23Winterkill confirmedAn outcome reported the spring after. Winterkill Update: Spring 2023, Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC.
Forest Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Forest 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
- 4.7 Caverage year now
- 3.9 Caverage year then
- -7 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Forest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 13° / 1° | 13 km/h, gusts 32 | dry | Steady |
| Thu 22 Oct | Slight rain | 6° / -2° | 15 km/h, gusts 31 | dry | Rising (+5.8 hPa) |
| Fri 23 Oct | Overcast | 6° / -3° | 8 km/h, gusts 15 | dry | Rising (+11.0 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Overcast | 8° / -1° | 6 km/h, gusts 43 | dry | Falling (-4.4 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Partly cloudy | 6° / -3° | 7 km/h, gusts 34 | dry | Rising (+3.9 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Partly cloudy | 7° / -2° | 5 km/h, gusts 11 | dry | Falling (-4.9 hPa) |
| Tue 27 Oct | Partly cloudy | 6° / -2° | 12 km/h | dry | Rising (+2.5 hPa) |
Forest Lake, in brief
What fish are in Forest Lake?
Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout. Species from the province's fish observation records.
How big is Forest Lake?
Forest Lake covers about 98.1 ha, by the province's Freshwater Atlas.
Which management unit is Forest Lake in?
Forest Lake is in MU 5-2, in the Cariboo. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Forest Lake
- Tyee Lake 8 km away
- Skulow Lake 9 km away
- Marguerite Lake 12 km away
- Howes Lake 12 km away
- Bunting Lake 13 km away
All 328 lakes in the Cariboo, with today's conditions on each.