Whale Lake
MU 5-2, Cariboo
51.5562° N, 121.6638° W
- Surface area
- 21.7ha
- Elevation
- 1,156m
- Campsites
- 2
- At Whale Lake rec site
Open Whale Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Whale Lake at a glance
- Region
- Cariboo
- Management unit
- MU 5-2
- Species
- Rainbow Trout, KokaneeThe newest of these fish records is from 2025.Species from the province's fish observation records.
- Lake size
- Small Water (< 50 ha)
- Coordinates
- 51.556197, -121.663839
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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 Whale Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 1981 | 2025 | 62 |
| Kokanee | 2004 | 2007 | 8 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
Whale Lake fishing regulations
We have no lake specific regulations on file for Whale Lake yet.
Getting to Whale Lake
45.3 km of traced road to the campground by way of Gustafsen/Neilson FSR, Gustafsen Lake FSR, Gustafsen/North FSR, unsigned, Helena Lake Rd and Tatton Station Rd. The road at the end is a rough surface.
Coordinates: 51.556197, -121.663839
Camping and rec sites at Whale Lake
- Whale Lake
- Campsites
- 2 designated
- To the shore
- 27 m
Coordinates: 51.55776, -121.668519
The ice year at Whale Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Whale Lake froze in 65 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 31 October and 13 November, and ice-off between 25 April and 12 May. The median winter freezes on 6 November and opens on 4 May.
the middle half of modelled winters the median ice cover in the median winter
Winter 2024-25 in the model: frozen from 14 November 2024 to 24 April 2025, 161 days.
We have no ice fishing regulation on file for Whale 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.
Whale Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Whale Lake is 1.0 C warmer than it was in the 1960s. That is 66 years of daily readings, not a forecast.
- +1.0 Csince the 1960s
- 3.8 Caverage year now
- 2.8 Caverage year then
- -8 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Whale 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 2 Nov | Overcast | 7° / -1° | 19 km/h, gusts 48 | dry | Steady |
| Tue 3 Nov | Overcast | 7° / 0° | 17 km/h, gusts 36 | dry | Falling (-1.9 hPa) |
| Wed 4 Nov | Slight rain showers | 8° / 0° | 16 km/h, gusts 42 | 1 mm | Falling (-2.8 hPa) |
| Thu 5 Nov | Slight rain | 6° / -1° | 23 km/h, gusts 47 | 1 mm | Steady |
| Fri 6 Nov | Overcast | 4° / -2° | 23 km/h, gusts 79 | 1 mm | Steady |
| Sat 7 Nov | Overcast | 4° / -3° | 25 km/h, gusts 77 | dry | Rising (+8.5 hPa) |
| Sun 8 Nov | Overcast | 8° / 2° | 23 km/h, gusts 95 | dry | Falling (-9.0 hPa) |
Whale Lake, in brief
What fish are in Whale Lake?
Rainbow Trout, Kokanee. Species from the province's fish observation records.
How big is Whale Lake?
Whale Lake covers about 21.7 ha, by the province's Freshwater Atlas.
Which management unit is Whale Lake in?
Whale Lake is in MU 5-2, in the Cariboo. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Whale Lake
- Boar Lake 2 km away
- Gustafsen Lake 4 km away
- Snag Lake 12 km away
- Valentine Lake 15 km away
- Edmund Lake 19 km away
All 328 lakes in the Cariboo, with today's conditions on each.