Watch Lake
MU 5-1, Cariboo
51.4611° N, 121.1047° W
- Surface area
- 241ha
- Maximum depth
- 9.8m
- 32 ft. Province survey, 1980
- Elevation
- 1,060m
Quiet, speed-restricted lake ideal for small trollers and float tubes, holding hefty rainbows.
Open Watch Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at Watch Lake
Watch Lake is known for trophy Rainbow trout to 8 lb.
- Rainbow trout to 8 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.
Watch Lake at a glance
- Region
- Cariboo
- Management unit
- MU 5-1
- Species
- Rainbow Trout, Longnose Sucker (last recorded 1952), Sucker (General) (last recorded 1952)The newest of these fish records is from 2026.Species from the province's fish observation records.
- Lake size
- Medium Lake (50 - 500 ha)
- Ice fishing
- Open to ice fishing, confirmed
- Coordinates
- 51.4611, -121.1047
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Gear for rainbow trout
Lines, leaders, lures and flies for rainbow trout, searched on Amazon.ca.
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Fish on record at Watch Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 1937 | 2026 | 166 |
| Longnose Sucker | 1952 | 1952 | 1 |
| Sucker (General) | 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 Watch Lake
Fly fishing with chironomids, dragon fly nymphs, micro-leeches; slow-trolling small spoons.
Best times of year at Watch Lake
- May - June
- September - October
Watch Lake fishing regulations
Speed restriction (8 km/h). Source: Province of British Columbia
Getting to Watch Lake
North of Green Lake via Watch Lake Road. Public boat launch and recreation site.
Coordinates: 51.4611, -121.1047
Camping and rec sites at Watch Lake
- Watch Lake Peninsula
No campsite count on file (BC Recreation Sites and Trails)
Access: North of Green Lake via Watch Lake Road. Public boat launch and recreation site.
Depth chart for Watch Lake
9.8 mdeepest4.3 mmean
Watch Lake runs to 9.8 m (32 ft) at its deepest, by the Province survey, 1980.
The mean of 4.3 m (14 ft) is read off the same chart, surveyed in March 1980.
The Province sounded Watch Lake and published the depth chart surveyed in 1980.
The ice year at Watch Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Watch Lake froze in 65 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 5 November and 18 November, and ice-off between 22 April and 10 May. The median winter freezes on 10 November and opens on 30 April.
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 11 April 2025, 147 days.
Watch 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.
Watch Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Watch 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 Watch 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 | 10° / -2° | 11 km/h, gusts 20 | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Overcast | 12° / 1° | 13 km/h, gusts 28 | dry | Falling (-10.0 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Light drizzle | 7° / 1° | 19 km/h, gusts 40 | dry | Rising (+1.9 hPa) |
| Fri 23 Oct | Overcast | 5° / -2° | 14 km/h, gusts 30 | dry | Rising (+13.3 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Overcast | 6° / 0° | 8 km/h, gusts 17 | dry | Falling (-2.4 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Partly cloudy | 8° / -2° | 5 km/h, gusts 14 | dry | Rising (+4.2 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Partly cloudy | 8° / -2° | 7 km/h, gusts 20 | dry | Falling (-2.1 hPa) |
Watch Lake, in brief
What fish are in Watch Lake?
Rainbow Trout. Species from the province's fish observation records.
Which management unit is Watch Lake in?
Watch 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 Watch Lake
- Little Horse Lake 3 km away
- Nolan Lake 5 km away
- Jim Lake 7 km away
- Green Lake 8 km away
- Irish Lake 11 km away
All 328 lakes in the Cariboo, with today's conditions on each.