The Field Journal
Rivers & Lakes · Stillwater

Monroe Lake

A stillwater in the St. Mary River watershed, W of N end Moyie Lake, S of Cranbrook, ~54.3 ha surface area, holding Westslope (Yellowstone) Cutthroat Trout.

Monroe Lake is a stillwater in the St. Mary River watershed, W of N end Moyie Lake, S of Cranbrook. ~54.3 ha surface area.

The water

Monroe Lake lies W of N end Moyie Lake, S of Cranbrook; in the St. Mary River watershed. It covers ~54.3 ha surface area. The lake survey puts it at max 30.8 m, mean 12.8 m, which sets the depth you fish.

The fishing

Monroe 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
54.3 ha
surface area
water
max 30.8 m, mean 12.8 m
lake survey
set_meal
Westslope (Yellowstone) Cutthroat Trout
recorded

Conditions

  • Depth: max 30.8 m, mean 12.8 m (BC lake survey 1960-07-29).
  • Water-health signal: excellent (health index 38), 5 species over 155 observations.

Access & the rules

Confirm the launch, parking and any motor/float or seasonal restrictions for Monroe 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.