Mcconnell Lake
MU 3-19, Thompson-Nicola
50.5219° N, 120.4586° W
- Surface area
- 32.1ha
- Maximum depth
- 24.2m
- 79 ft. Province survey, 1968
- Elevation
- 1,280m
A classic high-elevation interior stillwater surrounded by lodgepole pines. McConnell produces acrobatic, deep-bodied rainbow trout that feed aggressively on abundant gammarus scuds and damselflies.
Open Mcconnell Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Mcconnell Lake at a glance
- Region
- Thompson-Nicola
- Management unit
- MU 3-19
- Species
- Rainbow Trout, KokaneeThe 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
- 50.5219, -120.4586
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Gear for rainbow trout
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Fish on record at Mcconnell Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 1935 | 2025 | 184 |
| Kokanee | 2024 | 2026 | 3 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
How to fish Mcconnell Lake
Chironomids in green/red/black ribs suspended 1ft off bottom in 14-22ft depths. Damselfly nymphs stripped along weed edges in late June.
Best times of year at Mcconnell Lake
- May - June
- September - October
Mcconnell Lake fishing regulations
We have no lake specific regulations on file for Mcconnell Lake yet.
Getting to Mcconnell Lake
Lac Le Jeune Road south of Kamloops.
Coordinates: 50.5219, -120.4586
Camping and rec sites at Mcconnell Lake
- McConnell Lake Provincial Park
Day-use park & gravel cartop boat launch (Camping nearby at Lac Le Jeune Provincial Park, 4 km south)
Facilities: Cartop Boat Launch, Pit Toilets, Trails, Tables
Access: Lac Le Jeune Road (Paved)
Depth chart for Mcconnell Lake
24.2 mdeepest8.7 mmean
Mcconnell Lake runs to 24.2 m (79 ft) at its deepest, by the Province survey, 1968.
The mean of 8.7 m (29 ft) is read off the same chart, surveyed in April 1968.
The Province sounded Mcconnell Lake and published the depth chart surveyed in 1968. It runs to 2 sheets.
The ice year at Mcconnell Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Mcconnell Lake froze in 65 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 31 October and 12 November, and ice-off between 4 May and 21 May. The median winter freezes on 7 November and opens on 15 May.
the middle half of modelled winters the median ice cover in the median winter
Winter 2024-25 in the model: frozen from 29 October 2024 to 1 May 2025, 184 days.
No ice fishing closure is recorded for Mcconnell 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.
Mcconnell Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Mcconnell Lake is 1.2 C warmer than it was in the 1960s. That is 66 years of daily readings, not a forecast.
- +1.2 Csince the 1960s
- 3.1 Caverage year now
- 1.9 Caverage year then
- -9 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Mcconnell 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 | 9° / -3° | 11 km/h | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 15° / 2° | 19 km/h, gusts 35 | dry | Falling (-6.9 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Overcast | 9° / 1° | 11 km/h, gusts 21 | dry | Falling (-2.2 hPa) |
| Fri 23 Oct | Overcast | 6° / -3° | 18 km/h, gusts 33 | dry | Rising (+13.2 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Overcast | 4° / -4° | 9 km/h, gusts 14 | dry | Rising (+4.5 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Overcast | 3° / -5° | 7 km/h | dry | Rising (+3.3 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Overcast | 6° / -5° | 7 km/h | dry | Falling (-1.8 hPa) |
Mcconnell Lake, in brief
What fish are in Mcconnell Lake?
Rainbow Trout, Kokanee. Species from the province's fish observation records.
Which management unit is Mcconnell Lake in?
Mcconnell Lake is in MU 3-19, in the Thompson-Nicola. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Mcconnell Lake
- Stake Lake 2 km away
- Lodgepole Lake 4 km away
- Lac Le Jeune 5 km away
- Fred Lake 6 km away
- Ross Moore Lake 7 km away
All 342 lakes in the Thompson-Nicola, with today's conditions on each.