Lower Arrow Lake
MU 4-15, Kootenays
49.6414° N, 118.1572° W
- Surface area
- 16200ha
- Elevation
- 434m
Extending from the Needles Ferry down to Castlegar, Lower Arrow Lake offers extensive deep-water trolling for trophy Gerrard rainbow trout and bull trout. The lake features dramatic rocky shorelines and productive bays near Syringa Creek.
Open Lower Arrow Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at Lower Arrow Lake
Lower Arrow Lake is known for trophy Rainbow trout to 20 lb.
- Rainbow trout to 20 lb
- Kokanee to 12.1 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.
Lower Arrow Lake at a glance
- Region
- Kootenays
- Management unit
- MU 4-15
- Species
- Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Bull Trout, Walleye
- Lake size
- Large Water (> 500 ha)
- Ice fishing
- No ice fishing closure on file
- Coordinates
- 49.641357, -118.157167
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission
Gear for rainbow trout
Lines, leaders, lures and flies for rainbow trout, searched on Amazon.ca.
Search Amazon.caAs an Amazon Associate, BC Trout Finder earns from qualifying purchases.
What people catch at Lower Arrow Lake
A 90 km reservoir lake. A derby on Lower Arrow reported in the Trail Times was won by a 15 lb bull trout, with several more of 6 to 13 lb. BC Adventure says bucktails and polar bear flies trolled at three mph or more do well.
- Bull Trout
Typically 6 to 13 lb at a derby
Bigger fish: 15 lb, the derby's biggest
Source: Trail Times
Polar bear and bucktail flies trolled at three mph or more. Source: BC Adventure Network
How to fish Lower Arrow Lake
Troll surface bucktail flies on side planers during stormy overcast days, or downriggers with Apex 4.5/5.0 and Coyote spoons at thermocline depth (45-80 ft) during summer.
Best times of year at Lower Arrow Lake
- Fall (Sept-Nov)
- Spring (April-June)
- Winter
Lower Arrow Lake fishing regulations
We have no lake specific regulations on file for Lower Arrow Lake yet.
Getting to Lower Arrow Lake
Paved highway access via Hwy 6 and Hwy 3A near Castlegar, Fauquier, and Edgewood.
Coordinates: 49.641357, -118.157167
Camping and rec sites at Lower Arrow Lake
- Syringa Creek Provincial Park
86 vehicle campsites on Lower Arrow Lake, concrete boat ramp, dock, marina, sandy beach & sani-station
Facilities: Concrete Boat Launch, Marina, Campground, Sandy Beach, Flush Toilets, Showers, Sani-Station
Access: Paved Broadwater Rd via Castlegar (2WD)
The ice year at Lower Arrow Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
The model treats Lower Arrow 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 Lower Arrow 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.
Lower Arrow Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Lower Arrow Lake is 1.1 C warmer than it was in the 1960s. That is 66 years of daily readings, not a forecast.
- +1.1 Csince the 1960s
- 5.1 Caverage year now
- 4.0 Caverage year then
- -14 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Lower Arrow 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 | 13° / 4° | 13 km/h | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 20° / 8° | 9 km/h, gusts 15 | dry | Falling (-5.0 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Overcast | 21° / 7° | 6 km/h | dry | Falling (-4.4 hPa) |
| Fri 23 Oct | Overcast | 15° / 3° | 16 km/h, gusts 28 | dry | Rising (+8.9 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Overcast | 15° / 3° | 10 km/h, gusts 16 | dry | Rising (+8.4 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Overcast | 12° / 3° | 13 km/h, gusts 19 | dry | Rising (+2.7 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Overcast | 14° / 2° | 5 km/h | dry | Rising (+1.4 hPa) |
Trout lakes near Lower Arrow Lake
- Bear Paw Lake 9 km away
- Snowshoe Lake 31 km away
- Burns Lake 32 km away
- Lower Little Slocan Lake 34 km away
- Ritchie Lake 39 km away
All 162 lakes in the Kootenays, with today's conditions on each.