Slocan Lake
MU 4-17, Kootenays
49.9599° N, 117.3783° W
- Surface area
- 6900ha
- Maximum depth
- 298.1m
- 978 ft
- Elevation
- 535m
Guarded by the sheer peaks of Valhalla Provincial Park to the west, Slocan Lake is one of BC’s deepest and most scenic glacial lakes. Plunging almost 300 meters deep, its cold waters harbor wild Gerrard rainbows and bull trout.
Open Slocan Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at Slocan Lake
Slocan Lake is known for trophy Rainbow trout to 12 lb.
- Rainbow trout to 12 lb
- Bull 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.
Slocan Lake at a glance
- Region
- Kootenays
- Management unit
- MU 4-17
- Species
- Rainbow Trout, Bull Trout (last recorded 1995), White Sturgeon, Burbot, Kokanee (last recorded 1995), Westslope Cutthroat (last recorded 1995), Brook Trout (last recorded 1995), Mountain Whitefish (last recorded 1995), Dolly Varden (last recorded 1981), Largescale Sucker (last recorded 1994), Northern Pikeminnow (last recorded 1994), Redside Shiner (last recorded 1994), Sculpin (General) (last recorded 1994), Dace (General) (last recorded 1994), Peamouth Chub (last recorded 1994), Lake Chub (last recorded 1981)The newest of these fish records is from 2002.Species from the province's fish observation records.
- Lake size
- Large Water (> 500 ha)
- Ice fishing
- Open to ice fishing, confirmed
- Coordinates
- 49.959868, -117.37831
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Gear for rainbow trout
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Fish on record at Slocan Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 1915 | 2002 | 56 |
| Bull Trout | 1995 | 1995 | 1 |
| White Sturgeon | 1994 | 2001 | 3 |
| Burbot | 2001 | 2001 | 1 |
| Kokanee | 1930 | 1995 | 11 |
| Brook Trout | 1995 | 1995 | 2 |
| Mountain Whitefish | 1981 | 1995 | 2 |
| Dolly Varden | 1981 | 1981 | 2 |
| Largescale Sucker | 1981 | 1994 | 2 |
| Northern Pikeminnow | 1981 | 1994 | 2 |
| Redside Shiner | 1981 | 1994 | 2 |
| Sculpin (General) | 1981 | 1994 | 2 |
| Dace (General) | 1994 | 1994 | 1 |
| Peamouth Chub | 1994 | 1994 | 1 |
| Lake Chub | 1981 | 1981 | 1 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
How to fish Slocan Lake
Troll bucktail flies on planer boards at 2.8-3.5 mph near cliff faces and underwater drop-offs. Run downriggers with Apex and Lyman plugs 50-90 ft deep in summer.
Best times of year at Slocan Lake
- Spring (May-June)
- Fall (Sept-Nov)
- Winter Trolling
Slocan Lake fishing regulations
No bull trout under 60 cm. Source: Province of British Columbia
Getting to Slocan Lake
Paved highway access via Hwy 6 through New Denver, Silverton, and Slocan City.
Coordinates: 49.959868, -117.37831
Camping and rec sites at Slocan Lake
- Valhalla Provincial Park / Silverton Marina
Municipal & provincial park campgrounds and boat-in wilderness sites
Facilities: Concrete Ramp, Dock, Campground, Toilets
Access: Paved Hwy 6
Depth chart for Slocan Lake
298.1 mdeepest
Slocan Lake runs to 298.1 m (978 ft) at its deepest.
The Province sounded Slocan Lake and published the depth chart surveyed in 1966. It runs to 2 sheets.
The ice year at Slocan Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
The model treats Slocan Lake as too large and deep to freeze over, so it gives no freeze-up or ice-off dates. On air temperature alone it would have frozen in 65 of 65 winters since 1960.
Slocan 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.
Slocan Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Slocan 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
- 3.7 Caverage year now
- 2.8 Caverage year then
- -6 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Slocan 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 | Overcast | 15° / 6° | 7 km/h | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 20° / 10° | 12 km/h | dry | Falling (-4.2 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Overcast | 21° / 7° | 6 km/h | dry | Falling (-4.2 hPa) |
| Fri 23 Oct | Overcast | 12° / 4° | 11 km/h | dry | Rising (+7.7 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Overcast | 11° / 2° | 8 km/h | dry | Rising (+10.8 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Clear sky | 11° / 2° | 6 km/h | dry | Rising (+2.7 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Overcast | 14° / 2° | 3 km/h | dry | Steady |
Slocan Lake, in brief
What fish are in Slocan Lake?
Rainbow Trout, Bull Trout (last recorded 1995), White Sturgeon, Burbot, Kokanee (last recorded 1995), Westslope Cutthroat (last recorded 1995), Brook Trout (last recorded 1995), Mountain Whitefish (last recorded 1995), Dolly Varden (last recorded 1981). Species from the province's fish observation records.
Which management unit is Slocan Lake in?
Slocan Lake is in MU 4-17, in the Kootenays. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Slocan Lake
- Fishermaiden Lake 14 km away
- Wragge Lake 15 km away
- Shannon Lake 19 km away
- Beatrice Lake 19 km away
- Beaver Lake 25 km away
All 162 lakes in the Kootenays, with today's conditions on each.