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Punchaw Lake

MU 7-10, Omineca
53.4201° N, 123.0214° W

Map of Punchaw Lake: the shoreline from the BC Freshwater Atlas, the roads round it from the BC Digital Road Atlas and the recreation site.123°04′W123°03′W123°02′W123°01′W123°00′W53°24.5′N53°25′N53°25.5′N53°26′NPunchaw LakePunchaw Lake rec site5 campsites, 197 m to shore05001 kmNMap of Punchaw Lake: the shoreline from the BC Freshwater Atlas, the roads round it from the BC Digital Road Atlas and the recreation site.123°02′W123°01′W53°24.5′N53°25′N53°25.5′N53°26′NPunchaw LakePunchaw Lake rec site5 campsites, 197 m to shore01 kmN
WaterRoadRough surface roadRec siteShoreline from the BC Freshwater Atlas, roads from the BC Digital Road Atlas, under the Open Government Licence, British Columbia. Rec site position from BC Recreation Sites and Trails, checked 7 September 2026. The lake's depth is not drawn on this map.
Surface area
247.2ha
Maximum depth
6.7m
22 ft
Elevation
768m
Campsites
5
At Punchaw Lake rec site

Open Punchaw Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.

Trophy fish at Punchaw Lake

Punchaw Lake is known for trophy Rainbow trout to 2 lb.

  • Rainbow trout to 2 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.

Punchaw Lake at a glance

Region
Omineca
Management unit
MU 7-10
Species
Rainbow Trout (last recorded 1966)The newest of these fish records is from 1966.Species from the province's fish observation records.
Lake size
Medium Lake (50 - 500 ha)
Coordinates
53.42005, -123.021369

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Fish on record at Punchaw Lake

Species in the Province's fish observation records
SpeciesFirst recordedLast recordedRecords
Rainbow Trout195219664

A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.

Punchaw Lake fishing regulations

We have no lake specific regulations on file for Punchaw Lake yet.

Getting to Punchaw Lake

Coordinates: 53.42005, -123.021369

Camping and rec sites at Punchaw Lake

  • Punchaw Lake
    Campsites
    5 designated
    To the shore
    197 m

    Access: Travel west of Prince George and turn left on to the Blackwater Rd - proceed 27kms until you reach Baldy Hughes community. The highway turns to gravel and begins at 0km. The site is located at 24km. The final stretch of road into the site may be rough and subject to seasonal water issues; please drive with caution as you enter the site.
    Coordinates: 53.423829, -123.033405

    The site on Recreation Sites and Trails BC

Depth chart for Punchaw Lake

6.7 mdeepest

Punchaw Lake runs to 6.7 m (22 ft) at its deepest.

The Province sounded Punchaw Lake and published the depth chart.

The ice year at Punchaw Lake, modelled

Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.

In the model Punchaw Lake froze in 65 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 3 November and 17 November, and ice-off between 14 April and 6 May. The median winter freezes on 10 November and opens on 26 April.

Modelled ice season at Punchaw Lake: freeze-up most winters between 3 November and 17 November, ice-off between 14 April and 6 May.OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunFreeze-upIce-offabout 163 days in the median winter

the middle half of modelled winters the median ice cover in the median winter

Winter 2024-25 in the model: frozen from 15 November 2024 to 19 April 2025, 155 days.

We have no ice fishing regulation on file for Punchaw Lake either way. Check the current BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis before you plan a trip.

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.

Punchaw Lake climate, 1960 to 2025

Averaged over a year, the air above Punchaw 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
  • 3.9 Caverage year now
  • 3.0 Caverage year then
  • -5 daysbelow freezing, change
Average year at Punchaw Lakedegrees C, yearly mean
0 C3 C7 C1960198020002020

each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025

Days below freezingdays a year averaging under 0 C
751241741960198020002020

each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025

This week at Punchaw 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.

DaySkyHigh / lowWindRainPressure
Wed 21 OctSlight rain10° / 1°13 km/h, gusts 24drySteady
Thu 22 OctOvercast6° / -2°10 km/h, gusts 22dryRising (+6.1 hPa)
Fri 23 OctOvercast6° / -3°9 km/hdryRising (+10.4 hPa)
Sat 24 OctOvercast6° / -3°14 km/h, gusts 42dryFalling (-1.8 hPa)
Sun 25 OctClear sky4° / -4°7 km/h, gusts 44dryRising (+2.9 hPa)
Mon 26 OctClear sky6° / -2°6 km/h, gusts 12dryFalling (-5.8 hPa)
Tue 27 OctPartly cloudy5° / -3°6 km/h, gusts 14dryRising (+1.6 hPa)

Open Punchaw Lake in the app

Punchaw Lake, in brief

What fish are in Punchaw Lake?

Rainbow Trout (last recorded 1966). Species from the province's fish observation records.

How big is Punchaw Lake?

Punchaw Lake covers about 247.2 ha, by the province's Freshwater Atlas.

Which management unit is Punchaw Lake in?

Punchaw Lake is in MU 7-10, in the Omineca. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.

Trout lakes near Punchaw Lake

All 235 lakes in the Omineca, with today's conditions on each.

Reading the water