Whiteswan Lake
MU 4-24, Kootenays
50.1394° N, 115.4831° W
- Surface area
- 409.9ha
- Maximum depth
- 19.3m
- 63 ft
- Elevation
- 1,170m
Legendary East Kootenay trophy fishery producing thick, hard-fighting rainbows in pristine mountain surroundings.
Open Whiteswan Lake in the appThe 7-day forecast, max depth and wildfire smoke check, on the lake's own coordinate.
Trophy fish at Whiteswan Lake
Whiteswan 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.
Whiteswan Lake at a glance
- Region
- Kootenays
- Management unit
- MU 4-24
- Species
- Rainbow Trout, Mountain Whitefish (last recorded 1961), Brook Trout (last recorded 1957), Longnose Sucker (last recorded 1961), Northern Pikeminnow (last recorded 1961)The newest of these fish records is from 2018.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
- 50.1394, -115.4831
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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 Whiteswan Lake
| Species | First recorded | Last recorded | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 1931 | 2018 | 926 |
| Mountain Whitefish | 1958 | 1961 | 3 |
| Brook Trout | 1957 | 1957 | 1 |
| Longnose Sucker | 1958 | 1961 | 3 |
| Northern Pikeminnow | 1958 | 1961 | 3 |
A year is when the Province last recorded the fish here, not a statement that it is caught today.
How to fish Whiteswan Lake
Trolling apex lures, fly fishing chironomids and leeches on the inlet marl flats.
Best times of year at Whiteswan Lake
- June - July
- September - October
Whiteswan Lake fishing regulations
Single hook; no towing. Source: Province of British Columbia
Getting to Whiteswan Lake
Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park via Whiteswan FSR off Hwy 93/95. Multiple boat launches & campgrounds.
Coordinates: 50.1394, -115.4831
Camping and rec sites at Whiteswan Lake
- Home Bay Campground (Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park)
36 vehicle-accessible campsites, double-wide concrete boat ramp, day-use beach, and fish cleaning station
Facilities: Concrete Boat Launch, Pit Toilets, Fire Rings, Tables, Water Pump, Day-Use Beach
Access: Whiteswan FSR (2WD) - Alces Lake Campground (Whiteswan Park)
28 vehicle-accessible campsites on quiet Alces Lake, cartop boat launch, close to Lussier River
Facilities: Cartop Launch, Pit Toilets, Fire Rings, Tables, Water Pump
Access: Whiteswan FSR (2WD) - Packrat Point Campground (Whiteswan Lake)
16 scenic lakeside vehicle campsites, gravel boat launch, panoramic mountain vista
Facilities: Gravel Boat Launch, Pit Toilets, Fire Rings, Tables
Access: Whiteswan FSR (2WD) - Inlet Creek Campground (Whiteswan Lake)
14 vehicle campsites located at the eastern river inlet of Whiteswan Lake, ideal for fly fishing
Facilities: Cartop Launch, Pit Toilets, Fire Rings, Tables
Access: Whiteswan FSR (2WD)
Depth chart for Whiteswan Lake
19.3 mdeepest
Whiteswan Lake runs to 19.3 m (63 ft) at its deepest.
The Province sounded Whiteswan Lake and published the depth chart. It runs to 2 sheets.
The ice year at Whiteswan Lake, modelled
Modelled from air temperature, not an ice report. It says nothing about whether ice will hold you.
In the model Whiteswan Lake froze in 65 of the 65 winters since 1960. Freeze-up falls most years between 27 October and 8 November, and ice-off between 2 May and 15 May. The median winter freezes on 2 November and opens on 7 May.
the middle half of modelled winters the median ice cover in the median winter
Winter 2024-25 in the model: frozen from 3 November 2024 to 2 May 2025, 180 days.
Whiteswan 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.
Whiteswan Lake climate, 1960 to 2025
Averaged over a year, the air above Whiteswan Lake is 0.6 C warmer than it was in the 1960s. That is 66 years of daily readings, not a forecast.
- +0.6 Csince the 1960s
- 3.7 Caverage year now
- 3.1 Caverage year then
- -3 daysbelow freezing, change
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
each yearthe trend across 1960 to 2025
This week at Whiteswan 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° / 4° | 2 km/h, gusts 9 | dry | Steady |
| Wed 21 Oct | Partly cloudy | 16° / 4° | 11 km/h, gusts 32 | dry | Falling (-4.5 hPa) |
| Thu 22 Oct | Overcast | 16° / 6° | 7 km/h, gusts 26 | dry | Falling (-5.1 hPa) |
| Fri 23 Oct | Slight rain | 10° / 1° | 12 km/h, gusts 45 | dry | Rising (+1.7 hPa) |
| Sat 24 Oct | Overcast | 9° / 1° | 9 km/h, gusts 16 | dry | Rising (+12.2 hPa) |
| Sun 25 Oct | Moderate rain | 7° / -2° | 5 km/h, gusts 34 | 1 mm | Rising (+5.0 hPa) |
| Mon 26 Oct | Partly cloudy | 8° / -3° | 4 km/h | dry | Rising (+3.7 hPa) |
Whiteswan Lake, in brief
What fish are in Whiteswan Lake?
Rainbow Trout, Mountain Whitefish (last recorded 1961), Brook Trout (last recorded 1957). Species from the province's fish observation records.
Which management unit is Whiteswan Lake in?
Whiteswan Lake is in MU 4-24, in the Kootenays. The BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis is organised by management unit; check it before you go.
Trout lakes near Whiteswan Lake
- Alces (Moose) Lake 4 km away
- Premier Lake 25 km away
- Munroe Lake 27 km away
- Columbia Lake 28 km away
- Johnson Lake 29 km away
All 162 lakes in the Kootenays, with today's conditions on each.