Kootenay Lake is a well known hot spot for the massive Gerrard rainbow trout and bull trout. This lake also has a good kokanee fishery although not as robust as it used to be. There is currently large scale conservation efforts underway to restore large stocks of the kokanee here. Besides trolling for these favorites there are several other species to be had on this huge lake.
Gerrard Rainbow Trout
The Gerrard rainbow trout are truly giants. The Gerrard rainbow trout record from Kootenay Lake was 16 kg (35.5 lbs) in 1976. This specific rainbow trout strain migrates from Kootenay Lake to Trout Lake in order to spawn. Some of the largest breeders are over 80 centimeters (32 inches) in size. Although this rainbow trout population has come back since the 50s and 60s there is still special harvest considerations. More about that in the regulation section.
In the summer time these Gerrard’s will be found in cooler deeper water. It’s important to remember that kokanee are their preferred prey when selecting a lure. Trolling with a flasher and hoochie can be an effective method. Remember when fishing this deep (100 foot range 30 meters) only certain colours will be visible. I have written some information on flasher colour selection and water depths effects on it .
Large Mouth Bass
While there are better spots to catch largemouth bass Kootenay lake does have its share of them. There is also a retention limit for bass here.
Kokanee Salmon
There are kokanee salmon throughout the lake (non seafaring sockeye salmon). There are only certain spots you can retain kokanee. These also form a large part of the diet of the predatory bull and Gerrard rainbow trout in the lake.
Bull Trout
Bull trout are pretty common in this lake. These fish can grow to a very respectable size of over 8kg (20 lbs). Similarly to the rainbow trout they will be found deeper in the summer and higher in the water column in the colder months. This is a great location for folks from Alberta to come to try and land bull trout as they are much better established in British Columbia so you can retain them.
Other Kootenay Lake Fish Species
In addition to the above mentioned species Kootenay lake also has burbot, yellow perch,
lake whitefish and white sturgeon.
Fishing Regulations
Regulations for fishing Kootenay Lake are somewhat complicated .It is definitely best to check the BC sports fishing regulation website before you head out to Kootenay Lake. Basically there’s a general lake-wide regulation. Then there is a main body regulation, a lower west arm and upper west arm set of regulations. The west arm is the part of Kootenay Lake that goes down towards Nelson. This part of the lake is typically where there is a quota for kokanee.
There is currently an effort to replenish the kokanee numbers in Kootenay lake. For some time there were higher restrictions on keeping bull trout and the Gerrard rainbows. As a result these predators started to really pressure the local kokanee population. Another side effect of this small supply of kokanee was much smaller rainbow trout and bulls.
Kootenay Lake Angler Incentive Program
The Kootenay Lake angler incentive program was developed by BC Wildlife Federation to help the Kokanee in Kootenay Lake recover. The basic premise of the program is they want to increase anglers retention of the Gerrard’s rainbow trout and bull trout which are the main predators of the Kokanee. When an angler retains rainbow trout or bull trout they can remove the head and return it to one of four depots located around the lake.
For every head they drop off at the Depot the angler will get one entry into the draw for that month. You can find more information about where the Depots are here . The monthly draw is worth $1,000. With an entry into a grand prize draw which is an 18-foot Kingfisher boats complete with a 115 horsepower Yamaha engine. The grand prize draw ends in June of 2021. So what are you waiting for, get out there and fish !
Fishing Limits
The general regulations for all parts of the lake( main body and the west arm) are release all burbot. Yellow perch are unlimited retention and, bass have a keep limit of 8. As I said above the regulations for bulltrout , rainbow trout and kokanee are in flux so check the BC fisheries site for region 4 . A conservation surcharge stamp may be required to keep large rainbow trout (+50cm / 20” )
Kootenay Lake Fishing Lures and Tips
When fishing for rainbow trout some of the best lures are bucktails, plugs and large spoons trolled closer to the surface in the cooler months. The generally accepted rule is use light colours on bright days and darker on overcast days. It is always good to pack an assortment for when all else fails mix it up and experiment.
Trolling with downriggers is a popular fishing method for summer, as bull trout and rainbow trout will be deeper in the water column. A lot of the time a Dodger is also added to the downrigger presentation to attract fish. If you don’t have a down rigger you can use a three way swivel with a heavier sinker (5-8 oz.) on it before your dodger/flasher presentation.
Fishing Derbies and Tournaments
Kootenay Lake has a couple of tournaments in August, there is the Kootenay Lake classic and the Kootenay Lake kids classic both offering various prizes. In October there is the Kootenay Lake Thanksgiving classic.
Guides and Charters
There are a couple of Charters available on Kootenay Lake. Reel Adventures offers year-round guided fishing tours. There is another outfit call Kootenay wild fishing charters. Kootenay wild also offers guest Suites so, accommodation is easier to arrange for your fishing charter.
These guides primarily targets the Gerrard rainbow trout and huge bull trout that are present in Kootenay Lake.
Lake Characteristics
Kootenay Lake is a very large lake being over a hundred km (62 miles) long and approximately 3 to5 km (2 or 3 miles) wide. Surrounded by mountains this lake is also quite deep. The deepest part of the lake is approximately 150 M or 500 feet .This Lake remains fairly warm year-round and does not freeze in the winter.
Getting There
Your best bet for getting to Kootenay Lake if driving is to take the number 3 Highway also known as the Crows nest highway. This is definitely a mountainous drive from Vancouver or Calgary.
Driving distance is approximately 6 hours from Calgary and, About 9 hours to Vancouver, BC.
If you are looking to fly in, west Kootenay has a regional airport. This airport is located close to Castlegar BC and is about a 30-minute drive to Nelson and the west arm of Kootenay Lake.
Lake Kootenay Ferry Schedule
There is a free ferry operating from Kootenay Bay on the east side to Balfour on the west side. This continues Hwy 3A running down to Nelson,BC. The Kootenay Lake ferry schedule is ten times per day (6:30 AM to 9:40PM) , with a second ferry operating in the summer months.
Boat Launches and Marinas
There are tons of boat launches and marinas available all around the lake, I am going to break down several of them here .I’m including both free and paid boat launches. Most of the paid boat launches charge a nominal free of $5 to $15 with many have season or yearly passes.
North End of the Lake:
Woodbury Resort and marina is located at 4112 HWY 31 Ainsworth, BC on the western shore. They also have a boat launch available.
Riondel Boat Club is located in Riondel, BC on the north east shore. They offer launch passes $10/weekend or $25 for the year.
West Arm :
Balfour public boat launch is a public dock and launch
7746 Hwy 3A, Balfour, BC
Cedars Inn & Marina 7782 HWY 3A Balfour, BC boat launch $5
Kokanee creek provincial park public boat launch. Located about midway on the North side of the west arm.
Lakeside park in Nelson, BC has a public launch right at the 3A.
Sunshine bay regional park boat launch is public access and located on the south shore.
South End:
Kuskanook Harbour Society this marina and boat launch offers over a hundred and three slips they offer a single-use launch for $10 or $50 yearly fee. This boat launch is located on the Southeast corner Of Kootenay Lake.
Bait and Tackle
Should you be missing some tackle there are a couple of places around Kootenai Lake to pick up the gear you need. The Gill and Gift is a small family-owned store in Balfour where you can get fishing tackle and bait. This is located very close to the Balfour ferry terminal .
There is a Walmart situated in Nelson BC for fishing tackle should you need some.
Accommodation
With Kootenay Lake being such a popular destination there are tons of places you can stay right on the lake. The towns of Creston and Nelson have multiple hotels. There are also Airbnb’s and cabin rentals available all around Kootenay Lake. In addition there are lots of campsites and RV resorts for those people wishing to go camping on kootenay lake, while they are fishing.
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