Canada Fly Guide
Rivers & Lakes · Stillwater

Columbia Lake

A stillwater in the Columbia River watershed, Head of Columbia River, just S of Windermere Lake, ~2416.5 ha surface area, holding Bull Trout, Burbot and Cutthroat Trout.
Updated July 30, 2026

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Columbia Lake is a stillwater in the Columbia River watershed, Head of Columbia River, just S of Windermere Lake. ~2416.5 ha surface area.

The water

Columbia Lake lies Head of Columbia River, just S of Windermere Lake; in the Columbia River watershed. It covers ~2416.5 ha surface area. The lake survey puts it at max 5.2 m, mean 2.9 m, which sets the depth you fish.

The fishing

Columbia Lake fishes on classic stillwater lines: chironomids over the shoals, leech and attractor retrieves along the drop-offs, and depth or troll work to the shoal-and-drop-off structure. Match the season and confirm against a local report.

waves
Stillwater
Columbia River watershed
straighten
2416.5 ha
surface area
water
max 5.2 m, mean 2.9 m
lake survey
set_meal
Bull Trout and Burbot
recorded

Conditions

  • Depth: max 5.2 m, mean 2.9 m (BC lake survey 1972-03-14).
  • Water-health signal: average (health index 55), 2 species over 8 observations; 1 intact-mollusc records, a good-water indicator.

Access & the rules

Confirm the launch, parking and any motor/float or seasonal restrictions for Columbia Lake locally before you commit a day; the map shows where the lake sits in its drainage.

gavel

Before you fish

Confirm the current BC freshwater fishing regulations (Region 4 – Kootenay) before you go. Official synopsis: gov.bc.ca fishing regulations.