Kentucky Lake
MU 8-6, Okanagan
49.8989° N, 120.5644° W
- Surface area
- 37ha
- Maximum depth
- 40.5m
- 133 ft
- Elevation
- 997m
Breathtaking turquoise-blue lake in rolling grasslands offering superb scenery and acrobatic trout.
Open Kentucky Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at Kentucky Lake
Kentucky Lake is known for trophy Rainbow trout to 5 lb.
- Rainbow trout to 5 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.
Kentucky Lake at a glance
- Region
- Okanagan
- Management unit
- MU 8-6
- Species
- Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Redside Shiner (last recorded 1982), Prickly Sculpin (last recorded 1982), Sculpin (General) (last recorded 1959)The newest of these fish records is from 2026.Species from the province's fish observation records.
- Lake size
- Small Water (< 50 ha)
- Ice fishing
- No ice fishing closure on file
- Coordinates
- 49.8989, -120.5644
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Gear for rainbow trout
Lines, leaders, lures and flies for rainbow trout, searched on Amazon.ca.
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Fish on record at Kentucky Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 1941 | 2026 | 543 |
| Kokanee | 2024 | 2026 | 3 |
| Redside Shiner | 1951 | 1982 | 3 |
| Prickly Sculpin | 1951 | 1982 | 2 |
| Sculpin (General) | 1959 | 1959 | 1 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
How to fish Kentucky Lake
Deep nymphing along steep drop-offs, slow-trolling woolly buggers, chronies in the northern arm.
Best times of year at Kentucky Lake
- May - June
- September - October
Kentucky Lake fishing regulations
Engine power restriction - 7.5 kW (10 hp). Source: Province of British Columbia
Getting to Kentucky Lake
Off Hwy 5A between Merritt and Princeton. Kentucky-Alleyne Prov. Park boat launch & campground.
5.3 km of traced road to the shore by way of Bluey Lake FSR and Bates Rd. The road at the end is a loose surface. It stops 620 m short of the shore.
Coordinates: 49.8989, -120.5644
Camping and rec sites at Kentucky Lake
- Kentucky-Alleyne Provincial Park (Kentucky Campground)
32 vehicle-accessible campsites on turquoise Kentucky Lake, boat launch, sandy beach, picnic area.
Facilities: Boat Launch, Pit Toilets, Fire Rings, Tables, Water Pump, Beach
Access: Bates Road off Hwy 5A (Paved access) - Kentucky-Alleyne Provincial Park (Alleyne Campground)
26 vehicle-accessible campsites right on Alleyne Lake, gravel boat launch.
Facilities: Boat Launch, Pit Toilets, Fire Rings, Tables, Water Pump
Access: Bates Road off Hwy 5A south of Aspen Grove (Paved access)
Depth chart for Kentucky Lake
40.5 mdeepest
Kentucky Lake runs to 40.5 m (133 ft) at its deepest.
The Province sounded Kentucky Lake and published the depth chart surveyed in 1980. It runs to 2 sheets.
The ice year at Kentucky Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Kentucky Lake froze in 65 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 5 November and 23 November, and ice-off between 21 April and 13 May. The median winter freezes on 11 November and opens on 30 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 28 March 2025, 130 days.
No ice fishing closure is recorded for Kentucky 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.
Kentucky Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Kentucky Lake is 1.5 C warmer than it was in the 1960s. That is 66 years of daily readings, not a forecast.
- +1.5 Csince the 1960s
- 4.5 Caverage year now
- 3.1 Caverage year then
- -20 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Kentucky 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° / -3° | 9 km/h | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 18° / 2° | 16 km/h, gusts 33 | dry | Falling (-6.6 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Overcast | 13° / 3° | 11 km/h, gusts 17 | dry | Falling (-1.6 hPa) |
| Fri 23 Oct | Overcast | 8° / -1° | 15 km/h, gusts 27 | dry | Rising (+12.7 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Overcast | 8° / -3° | 13 km/h, gusts 18 | dry | Rising (+6.3 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Overcast | 7° / -5° | 10 km/h | dry | Rising (+2.4 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Overcast | 11° / -5° | 8 km/h | dry | Falling (-1.6 hPa) |
Kentucky Lake, in brief
What fish are in Kentucky Lake?
Rainbow Trout, Kokanee. Species from the province's fish observation records.
Which management unit is Kentucky Lake in?
Kentucky Lake is in MU 8-6, in the Okanagan. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Kentucky Lake
- Alleyne Lake 2 km away
- Bluey Lake 4 km away
- Kidd Lake 5 km away
- Courtney Lake 12 km away
- Hook Lake 12 km away
All 212 lakes in the Okanagan, with today's conditions on each.