Monument Lake is a small stillwater high in the Elk River watershed, held by wild-origin westslope cutthroat trout. Ten recorded plantings between 1983 and 2012 built the population here, and none has followed since.
The water
The lake covers 4.86 hectares and runs to a maximum depth of just 6.4 m, per the province's 1983 lake survey (A Preliminary Survey of Monument Lake). That is shallow water with nowhere to hide a deep, cool refuge, so the lake fishes as a single, evenly worked basin rather than a lake with a defined drop-off edge. It sits in the Elk River watershed on the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC's records, carrying the waterbody identifier 00018ELKR.
The fishing
Every recorded release into Monument Lake was Connor-strain westslope (Yellowstone) cutthroat trout, wild-origin fry and fall fry stocked at roughly 1,000 to 3,000 fish a planting, ten times between 1983 and 2012 for a lifetime total of 16,000 fish. The last drop was 1,000 fry on October 2, 2012. Nothing has been planted since, so what is here now is whatever that stocking built: confirm the current population with a local report or the regulations synopsis before planning a trip around it.
With no deep basin to fall back on, small-lake stillwater tactics apply across the whole surface rather than concentrated at a drop-off: work chironomids under an indicator over the shoals and open water alike, and expect cutthroat willing to come up for a dry once the surface warms.
A legacy fishery, not an active program
Access and the rules
Access, launch and facility details for Monument Lake are not confirmed. Treat it as a walk-in or backcountry stillwater until a road, trailhead or launch is confirmed locally.
