Kootenay Lake
MU 4-19, Kootenays
49.7122° N, 116.8833° W
- Surface area
- 42299.5ha
- Maximum depth
- 150m
- 492 ft
- Elevation
- 530m
Historically home to the world's largest wild rainbow trout, with a 35.5 lb lake record from 1976. That fishery has since declined: the Gerrard rainbow population grew large enough to outstrip its kokanee forage, shrinking average size toward what's typical of ordinary BC lakes. An angler incentive program now pays anglers to harvest rainbow and bull trout to help the kokanee population recover. Bull trout remain a genuine trophy draw here, reported to 20 lbs.
Open Kootenay Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at Kootenay Lake
Kootenay Lake is known for trophy Gerrard rainbow trout to 20 lb.
- Gerrard rainbow trout to 20 lb
- Bull 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.
Kootenay Lake at a glance
- Region
- Kootenays
- Management unit
- MU 4-19
- Species
- Gerrard Rainbow Trout, Bull Trout, Anadromous Bull Trout (last recorded 1971), Kokanee, Brook Trout, Mountain Whitefish, White Sturgeon, Pygmy Whitefish, Burbot (last recorded 1994), Yellow Perch (last recorded 1994), Dolly Varden (last recorded 1981), Lake Whitefish (last recorded 1981), Westslope (Yellowstone) Cutthroat Trout (last recorded 1981), Largemouth Bass (last recorded 1973), Whitefish (General) (last recorded 1972), Cutthroat Trout (last recorded 1911), Peamouth Chub, Longnose Dace, Sculpin (General), Torrent Sculpin, Sucker (General), Slimy Sculpin, Redside Shiner, Northern Pikeminnow, Floater Mussel (General), Longnose Sucker (last recorded 1981), Largescale Sucker (last recorded 1981), Prickly Sculpin (last recorded 1981), Bridgelip Sucker (last recorded 1981), Carp (last recorded 1981), Lake Chub (last recorded 1981), Leopard Dace (last recorded 1981), Pumpkinseed (last recorded 1973), Sturgeon (General) (last recorded 1972), Bass/Sunfish (General) (last recorded 1963), Chub (General) (last recorded 1963)The province's newest fish record here is from 2022.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
- 49.7122, -116.8833
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Gear for Gerrard rainbow trout
Lines, leaders, lures and flies for Gerrard rainbow trout, searched on Amazon.ca.
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What people catch at Kootenay Lake
A Nelson charter reports the usual Kootenay Lake rainbows at 2 to 4 lb and the odd bull trout to 8 lb. Gerrard rainbows seldom exceed five pounds today, a 2022 newspaper column says.
- Rainbow Trout
Typically 2 to 4 lb
Source: Trail Times - Gerrard Rainbow Trout
Bigger fish: seldom over 5 lb today
Source: Nelson Star - Bull Trout
Bigger fish: the odd one to 8 lb
Source: Trail Times
Bull trout come mostly on downriggers between 75 and 120 feet. Source: Nelson Star
Fish on record at Kootenay Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bull Trout | 1994 | 2013 | 68 |
| Anadromous Bull Trout | 1971 | 1971 | 1 |
| Kokanee | 1901 | 2022 | 47 |
| Brook Trout | 1919 | 2016 | 4 |
| Mountain Whitefish | 1901 | 2015 | 20 |
| White Sturgeon | 1981 | 1998 | 4 |
| Pygmy Whitefish | 1961 | 1998 | 3 |
| Burbot | 1901 | 1994 | 8 |
| Yellow Perch | 1994 | 1994 | 1 |
| Dolly Varden | 1901 | 1981 | 10 |
| Lake Whitefish | 1930 | 1981 | 3 |
| Westslope (Yellowstone) Cutthroat Trout | 1961 | 1981 | 2 |
| Largemouth Bass | 1973 | 1973 | 1 |
| Whitefish (General) | 1971 | 1972 | 2 |
| Cutthroat Trout | 1901 | 1911 | 2 |
| Peamouth Chub | 1961 | 2020 | 4 |
| Longnose Dace | 1961 | 2018 | 13 |
| Sculpin (General) | 2015 | 2018 | 3 |
| Torrent Sculpin | 1961 | 2018 | 3 |
| Sucker (General) | 2018 | 2018 | 1 |
| Slimy Sculpin | 1961 | 2016 | 3 |
| Redside Shiner | 1961 | 2015 | 24 |
| Northern Pikeminnow | 1901 | 2015 | 5 |
| Floater Mussel (General) | 2008 | 2008 | 5 |
| Longnose Sucker | 1961 | 1981 | 3 |
| Largescale Sucker | 1961 | 1981 | 2 |
| Prickly Sculpin | 1961 | 1981 | 2 |
| Bridgelip Sucker | 1981 | 1981 | 1 |
| Carp | 1981 | 1981 | 1 |
| Lake Chub | 1981 | 1981 | 1 |
| Leopard Dace | 1981 | 1981 | 1 |
| Pumpkinseed | 1973 | 1973 | 1 |
| Sturgeon (General) | 1963 | 1972 | 2 |
| Bass/Sunfish (General) | 1963 | 1963 | 1 |
| Chub (General) | 1963 | 1963 | 1 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
How to fish Kootenay Lake
High-speed surface trolling bucktail flies (size 2/0-4) at 2.5-3.5 knots, Lyman wooden plugs, planer boards.
Best times of year at Kootenay Lake
- October - April (Winter Bucktailing)
- May - June
Kootenay Lake fishing regulations
We have no lake specific regulations on file for Kootenay Lake yet.
Getting to Kootenay Lake
Multiple public marinas (Balfour, Kaslo, Nelson, Crawford Bay). Public ramps throughout.
Coordinates: 49.7122, -116.8833
Camping and rec sites at Kootenay Lake
- Balfour Public Boat Launch (Kootenay Lake)
No designated vehicle campground at the wharf (day-use launch & docking only)
Facilities: Public Boat Launch, Public Wharf, Day-Use Docking
Access: Paved Highway 3A to Balfour (near the free Kootenay Lake ferry terminal)
Depth chart for Kootenay Lake
150 mdeepest
Kootenay Lake runs to 150 m (492 ft) at its deepest.
The federal Canadian Hydrographic Service charts Kootenay Lake for navigation, with soundings across the lake.
The ice year at Kootenay Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
The model treats Kootenay Lake as too large and deep to freeze over, so it gives no freeze-up or ice-off dates. On air temperature alone it would have frozen in 65 of 65 winters since 1960.
No ice fishing closure is recorded for Kootenay 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.
Kootenay Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Kootenay 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
- 0.5 Caverage year now
- -0.4 Caverage year then
- -3 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Kootenay 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 | Partly cloudy | 15° / 7° | 20 km/h, gusts 32 | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 20° / 10° | 14 km/h | dry | Falling (-4.3 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Overcast | 20° / 7° | 12 km/h | dry | Falling (-4.5 hPa) |
| Fri 23 Oct | Overcast | 16° / 5° | 10 km/h, gusts 17 | dry | Rising (+6.2 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Overcast | 14° / 3° | 5 km/h | dry | Rising (+12.0 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Overcast | 12° / 2° | 7 km/h | dry | Rising (+3.1 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Mainly clear | 12° / 1° | 3 km/h | dry | Steady |
Kootenay Lake, in brief
What fish are in Kootenay Lake?
Gerrard Rainbow Trout, Bull Trout, Anadromous Bull Trout (last recorded 1971), Kokanee, Brook Trout, Mountain Whitefish, White Sturgeon, Pygmy Whitefish, Burbot (last recorded 1994), Yellow Perch (last recorded 1994), Dolly Varden (last recorded 1981), Lake Whitefish (last recorded 1981), Westslope (Yellowstone) Cutthroat Trout (last recorded 1981), Largemouth Bass (last recorded 1973), Whitefish (General) (last recorded 1972), Cutthroat Trout (last recorded 1911). Species from the province's fish observation records and angling reports.
Which management unit is Kootenay Lake in?
Kootenay Lake is in MU 4-19, in the Kootenays. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Kootenay Lake
- Plaid Lake 12 km away
- Fletcher Lake 15 km away
- Whitelady Lake 16 km away
- Oliver Lake 20 km away
- Kokanee Lake 21 km away
All 162 lakes in the Kootenays, with today's conditions on each.