Red Lake
MU 3-29, Thompson-Nicola
50.8883° N, 120.7881° W
- Surface area
- 108.3ha
- Maximum depth
- 10.4m
- 34 ft. Province survey, 1961
- Elevation
- 952m
- Campsites
- 14
- At Red Lake rec site
Located northwest of Kamloops at Copper Creek, Red Lake is a renowned trophy fishery stocked with giant Eastern Brook Trout in the 4 to 8+ lb range.
Open Red Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at Red Lake
Red Lake is known for trophy Brook trout to 8 lb.
- Brook trout to 8 lb
- Rainbow trout to 4 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.
Red Lake at a glance
- Region
- Thompson-Nicola
- Management unit
- MU 3-29
- Species
- Brook Trout, Rainbow TroutThe newest of these fish records is from 2026.Species from the province's fish observation records.
- Lake size
- Medium Lake (50 - 500 ha)
- Catch and release
- Yes
- Ice fishing
- Open to ice fishing, confirmed
- Coordinates
- 50.8883, -120.7881
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Gear for brook trout
Lines, leaders, lures and flies for brook trout, searched on Amazon.ca.
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What people catch at Red Lake
Rainbow trout and brook trout northwest of Kamloops. Rainbows generally run 1 to 4 lb and brook trout 1 to 2 lb, according to Fishing with Rod, with a chironomid under an indicator best in spring.
- Rainbow Trout
Typically 1 to 4 lb
Source: Fishing with Rod - Brook Trout
Typically 1 to 2 lb
Source: Fishing with Rod
In spring, a chironomid suspended under an indicator. Source: Fishing with Rod
The rule that shapes it. No rainbow trout over 50 cm, Engine power restriction - 7.5 kW (10 hp). Source: Province of British Columbia
Fish on record at Red Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brook Trout | 1962 | 2026 | 71 |
| Rainbow Trout | 1923 | 2026 | 62 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
How to fish Red Lake
Best times of year at Red Lake
- May - June
- September - October
Red Lake fishing regulations
No rainbow trout over 50 cm, Engine power restriction - 7.5 kW (10 hp). Source: Province of British Columbia
Getting to Red Lake
41.9 km of traced road to the campground by way of Tranquille-Criss Creek Rd, Copper Creek Rd and Sabiston Creek Rd. The road at the end is a loose surface.
Coordinates: 50.8883, -120.7881
Camping and rec sites at Red Lake
- Red Lake
- Campsites
- 14 designated
- To the shore
- 194 m
Access: From Kamloops, travel west on Tranquille Road, continue onto Red Lake Road for 36 km. At the 36 km marker, turn right onto Criss Creek Road, continue for 2 km then turn left onto Seven Lakes Road. Follow Seven Lakes Road for 1.5 km then turn left onto LeBlonde Road. The new road into Red Lake is on the left, follow this into Red Lake.
Coordinates: 50.902374, -120.799006
Depth chart for Red Lake
10.4 mdeepest5.7 mmean
Red Lake runs to 10.4 m (34 ft) at its deepest, by the Province survey, 1961.
The mean of 5.7 m (19 ft) is read off the same chart, surveyed in March 1961.
The Province sounded Red Lake and published the depth chart surveyed in 1961.
The ice year at Red Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Red Lake froze in 65 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 5 November and 20 November, and ice-off between 18 April and 5 May. The median winter freezes on 12 November and opens on 27 April.
the middle half of modelled winters the median ice cover in the median winter
Winter 2024-25 in the model: frozen from 18 November 2024 to 1 April 2025, 134 days.
Red 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.
Winterkill at Red Lake
- Winter 2022-23Winterkill confirmedAn outcome reported the spring after. Winterkill Update: Spring 2023, Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC.
- Winter 2025-26Rated low riskA rating from late-winter oxygen profiles, not a definitive result. Winterkill Update: Spring 2026, Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC.
Red Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Red Lake is 1.3 C warmer than it was in the 1960s. That is 66 years of daily readings, not a forecast.
- +1.3 Csince the 1960s
- 3.7 Caverage year now
- 2.4 Caverage year then
- -13 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Red 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 | 5° / 3° | 14 km/h | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 12° / 2° | 16 km/h, gusts 21 | dry | Falling (-5.9 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Slight rain | 8° / 1° | 20 km/h, gusts 48 | 1 mm | Steady |
| Fri 23 Oct | Overcast | 7° / -1° | 20 km/h, gusts 53 | dry | Rising (+12.9 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Overcast | 7° / 0° | 3 km/h, gusts 55 | dry | Steady |
| Sun 25 Oct | Overcast | 9° / -1° | 4 km/h, gusts 31 | dry | Rising (+4.3 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Partly cloudy | 10° / 1° | 7 km/h, gusts 38 | dry | Falling (-1.5 hPa) |
Red Lake, in brief
What fish are in Red Lake?
Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout. Species from the province's fish observation records.
Which management unit is Red Lake in?
Red Lake is in MU 3-29, in the Thompson-Nicola. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Red Lake
- Frog Lake 6 km away
- Saul Lake 11 km away
- Tranquille Lake 16 km away
- Pat (Six Mile) Lake 17 km away
- Kamloops Lake 18 km away
All 342 lakes in the Thompson-Nicola, with today's conditions on each.