Mara Lake
MU 3-26, Thompson-Nicola
50.7828° N, 119.0119° W
- Surface area
- 1767.1ha
- Elevation
- 338m
Mara Lake is located north of the city of Vernon, BC. From Vernon travel north on Hwy. #97A to the community of Enderby . Mara Lake is found on the left (west) side of Hwy. #97A, approximately 22 km. (14 mi.) north of Enderby.
Open Mara Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at Mara Lake
Mara Lake is known for trophy Rainbow trout to 20 lb.
- Rainbow trout to 20 lb
- Lake trout to 8 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.
Mara Lake at a glance
- Region
- Thompson-Nicola
- Management unit
- MU 3-26
- Species
- Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Burbot, Mountain Whitefish, Kokanee, Bull Trout, Dolly Varden (last recorded 1995), Chinook Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Salmon (General), Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon (last recorded 1995), Northern Pikeminnow, Redside Shiner, Leopard Dace, Peamouth Chub, Prickly Sculpin, Largescale Sucker, Lake Chub, Slimy Sculpin, White Sucker, Sculpin (General), Sucker (General), Carp (last recorded 1995), Longnose Dace (last recorded 1972)The newest of these fish records is from 2011.Species from the province's fish observation records.
- Lake size
- Large Water (> 500 ha)
- Catch and release
- Yes
- Ice fishing
- Open to ice fishing, confirmed
- Coordinates
- 50.7828, -119.0119
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Gear for rainbow trout
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Fish on record at Mara Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 1940 | 2011 | 19 |
| Lake Trout | 1995 | 2005 | 2 |
| Burbot | 1995 | 2007 | 7 |
| Mountain Whitefish | 1949 | 1997 | 3 |
| Kokanee | 1995 | 1997 | 2 |
| Bull Trout | 1997 | 1997 | 1 |
| Dolly Varden | 1995 | 1995 | 1 |
| Chinook Salmon | 1949 | 2011 | 16 |
| Sockeye Salmon | 1995 | 2011 | 12 |
| Salmon (General) | 2005 | 2005 | 1 |
| Coho Salmon | 1949 | 1997 | 4 |
| Pink Salmon | 1995 | 1995 | 1 |
| Northern Pikeminnow | 1949 | 2011 | 70 |
| Redside Shiner | 1949 | 2011 | 60 |
| Leopard Dace | 1949 | 2011 | 28 |
| Peamouth Chub | 1949 | 2011 | 14 |
| Prickly Sculpin | 1949 | 2011 | 11 |
| Largescale Sucker | 1949 | 2011 | 8 |
| Lake Chub | 1989 | 2010 | 3 |
| Slimy Sculpin | 2010 | 2010 | 3 |
| White Sucker | 2010 | 2010 | 3 |
| Sculpin (General) | 2004 | 2007 | 38 |
| Sucker (General) | 1995 | 2004 | 2 |
| Carp | 1995 | 1995 | 1 |
| Longnose Dace | 1949 | 1972 | 2 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
How to fish Mara Lake
Best times of year at Mara Lake
- May - June
- September - October
Mara Lake fishing regulations
We have no lake specific regulations on file for Mara Lake yet.
Getting to Mara Lake
Many resorts and campsites with full facilties can be found on or nearby Mara Lake. A day use BC Provincial Park with boat launching can be found near the south end of the lake.
Coordinates: 50.7828, -119.0119
Camping and rec sites at Mara Lake
- Mara Lake South
No campsite count on file (BC Recreation Sites and Trails)
Access: Many resorts and campsites with full facilties can be found on or nearby Mara Lake. A day use BC Provincial Park with boat launching can be found near the south end of the lake.
The ice year at Mara Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Mara Lake froze in 64 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 5 December and 6 January, and ice-off between 13 February and 18 March. The median winter freezes on 20 December and opens on 5 March.
the middle half of modelled winters the median ice cover in the median winter
Winter 2024-25 in the model: frozen from 1 December 2024 to 3 March 2025, 92 days.
Mara 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.
Mara Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Mara Lake is 1.0 C warmer than it was in the 1960s. That is 66 years of daily readings, not a forecast.
- +1.0 Csince the 1960s
- 6.8 Caverage year now
- 5.9 Caverage year then
- -4 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Mara 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 | 14° / 3° | 7 km/h | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 19° / 7° | 9 km/h, gusts 27 | dry | Falling (-6.3 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Overcast | 18° / 7° | 6 km/h, gusts 13 | dry | Falling (-4.1 hPa) |
| Fri 23 Oct | Overcast | 12° / 3° | 7 km/h | dry | Rising (+12.0 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Light drizzle | 10° / 1° | 6 km/h | dry | Rising (+6.5 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Overcast | 10° / 0° | 8 km/h | dry | Rising (+3.2 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Overcast | 13° / 0° | 6 km/h | dry | Steady |
Mara Lake, in brief
What fish are in Mara Lake?
Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Burbot, Mountain Whitefish, Kokanee, Bull Trout, Dolly Varden (last recorded 1995), Chinook Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Salmon (General), Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon (last recorded 1995). Species from the province's fish observation records.
Which management unit is Mara Lake in?
Mara Lake is in MU 3-26, in the Thompson-Nicola. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Mara Lake
- Rosemond Lake 8 km away
- Shuswap Lake 18 km away
- Herman Lake 18 km away
- Spruce Lake 19 km away
- Dale Lake 19 km away
All 342 lakes in the Thompson-Nicola, with today's conditions on each.