Sheridan Lake
MU 5-1, Cariboo
51.5192° N, 120.8950° W
- Surface area
- 1650ha
- Maximum depth
- 35.1m
- 115 ft
- Elevation
- 1,115m
Crown jewel of Highway 24, famous for heavy 5 to 12 lb wild-strain Blackwater rainbow trout.
Open Sheridan Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at Sheridan Lake
Sheridan Lake is known for trophy Rainbow trout to 12 lb.
- Rainbow trout to 12 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.
Sheridan Lake at a glance
- Region
- Cariboo
- Management unit
- MU 5-1
- Species
- Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Burbot (last recorded 1992), Brown Trout (last recorded 1961), Longnose Sucker (last recorded 1961), Western Brook Lamprey (last recorded 1952)The newest of these fish records is from 2026.Species from the province's fish observation records.
- Lake size
- Large Water (> 500 ha)
- Catch and release
- Yes
- Ice fishing
- No ice fishing closure on file
- Coordinates
- 51.5192, -120.895
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Gear for rainbow trout
Lines, leaders, lures and flies for rainbow trout, searched on Amazon.ca.
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What people catch at Sheridan Lake
One of the best known big fish lakes on the Fishing Highway. The average rainbow is about 3 lb and fish over 10 lb come out every year. It is stocked heavily, around 300,000 fish a year, and the shrimp in it are why they grow.
- Rainbow Trout Stocked
Typically about 3 lb
Bigger fish: fish over 10 lb are caught every year
Roughly 300,000 stocked annually.
Source: Sheridan Lake Resort
Fish on record at Sheridan Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 1949 | 2026 | 2564 |
| Brook Trout | 1961 | 2003 | 104 |
| Burbot | 1992 | 1992 | 1 |
| Brown Trout | 1961 | 1961 | 1 |
| Longnose Sucker | 1952 | 1961 | 2 |
| Western Brook Lamprey | 1952 | 1952 | 1 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
How to fish Sheridan Lake
Trolling Lyman lures, Apex, Gibbs Croc spoons; fly casting large dragon nymphs and weighted leeches along marl shoals.
Best times of year at Sheridan Lake
- May - July
- September - October
Sheridan Lake fishing regulations
We have no lake specific regulations on file for Sheridan Lake yet.
Getting to Sheridan Lake
Hwy 24 (The Fishing Highway). Multiple public concrete boat launches, marinas, and resorts.
0.2 km of traced road to the campground. The road at the end is a loose surface.
Coordinates: 51.5192, -120.895
Camping and rec sites at Sheridan Lake
- Sheridan Lake Loon Bay
- To the shore
- 115 m
No campsite count on file (BC Recreation Sites and Trails)
Facilities: Accessible Fishing Dock, Picnic Tables, Accessible Pit Toilet, Vehicle Parking
Access: About 9 km south of 100 Mile House on Hwy 97, turn east onto Highway 24 and follow for about 32 km to Airmail Road, which is a short distance past the Interlakes Centre and Loon Bay Resort. Turn right (south) onto Airmail Road. The parking lot and trailhead is a couple hundred meters down this road and on the right.
Coordinates: 51.540376, -120.903535
Depth chart for Sheridan Lake
35.1 mdeepest
Sheridan Lake runs to 35.1 m (115 ft) at its deepest.
The Province sounded Sheridan Lake and published the depth chart surveyed in 1961.
The ice year at Sheridan Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Sheridan Lake froze in 65 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 2 November and 15 November, and ice-off between 25 April and 13 May. The median winter freezes on 7 November and opens on 3 May.
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 17 April 2025, 153 days.
No ice fishing closure is recorded for Sheridan 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.
Sheridan Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Sheridan 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
- 3.8 Caverage year now
- 2.7 Caverage year then
- -12 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Sheridan 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 | Mainly clear | 10° / -1° | 13 km/h, gusts 25 | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 13° / 1° | 13 km/h, gusts 27 | dry | Falling (-9.7 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Light drizzle | 7° / -1° | 19 km/h, gusts 41 | dry | Rising (+2.5 hPa) |
| Fri 23 Oct | Overcast | 5° / -3° | 13 km/h, gusts 24 | dry | Rising (+13.6 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Overcast | 5° / 0° | 8 km/h, gusts 15 | dry | Falling (-2.1 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Mainly clear | 6° / -3° | 9 km/h, gusts 21 | dry | Rising (+5.4 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Overcast | 8° / -1° | 9 km/h, gusts 18 | dry | Falling (-2.3 hPa) |
Sheridan Lake, in brief
What fish are in Sheridan Lake?
Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Burbot (last recorded 1992), Brown Trout (last recorded 1961). Species from the province's fish observation records.
Which management unit is Sheridan Lake in?
Sheridan Lake is in MU 5-1, in the Cariboo. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Sheridan Lake
- Roe Lake 5 km away
- Fawn Lake 7 km away
- Bridge Lake 11 km away
- Crystal Lake 12 km away
- Higgins Lake 12 km away
All 328 lakes in the Cariboo, with today's conditions on each.