Canada Fly Guide
Rivers & Lakes · Stillwater

Copper Lake

A stillwater in the St. Mary River watershed, Head of Sandown Creek, SW of junction of Findlay Creek and Kootenay River, SW of Canal Flats (municipality), ~9.4 ha surface area, holding Westslope (Yellowstone) Cutthroat Trout.
Updated July 31, 2026

Wildfire & Access

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Copper Lake is a stillwater in the St. Mary River watershed, Head of Sandown Creek, SW of junction of Findlay Creek and Kootenay River, SW of Canal Flats (municipality). ~9.4 ha surface area.

The water

Copper Lake lies Head of Sandown Creek, SW of junction of Findlay Creek and Kootenay River, SW of Canal Flats (municipality); in the St. Mary River watershed. It covers ~9.4 ha surface area.

The fishing

Copper 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
St. Mary River watershed
straighten
9.4 ha
surface area
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Westslope (Yellowstone) Cutthroat Trout
recorded

Conditions

  • Water-health signal: poor (health index 8), 1 species over 12 observations.

Access & the rules

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

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Before you fish

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