Shuswap Lake

Lake Thompson Okanagan Crown Land (Free)

About this spot

Shuswap Lake is a lake located in the Thompson Okanagan area of British Columbia. This waterbody sits on British Columbia Crown land open to anglers holding a valid BC fishing licence. British Columbia's crown land lakes support a diverse range of species including rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, kokanee, and northern pike.

Location

Fish Species

No species reported for this spot yet.

Ice fishing on Shuswap Lake

Shuswap Lake is in fishing Region 3 (Thompson-Nicola). BC has no separate ice fishing season, so the regular rules apply through the ice: the 2025-2027 synopsis lists rules of its own for this water, shown below, on top of the regional quotas.

No ice fishing. The synopsis closes Shuswap Lake to ice fishing. Open-water rules still apply the rest of the year.

Shuswap Lake (see maps on page 28) (includes Little Shuswap Lake, that part of South Thompson River between Shuswap Lake and Little Shuswap Lake, Seymour, Anstey and Salmon arms and Mara Lake unless stated otherwise) (see maps on page 28) (includes Little Shuswap Lake, that part of South Thompson River between Shuswap Lake and Little Shuswap Lake, Seymour, Anstey and Salmon arms and Mara Lake unless stated otherwis) · MU 3-26

No Fishing Mar 15-May 14, and rainbow trout and char catch and release, May 15-Mar 14, in the waters lying west of a line between signs at Henstridge Road and Wharf Road to a line between signs on the south and north shores of Little Shuswap Lake (see map A on page 28)
No Fishing in the entire area north of Albas, Mar 15-May 14 (see map B on page 28)
No Fishing east of a line between fishing boundary signs on Murdock and Semaphore points, to Hwy 1 bridge, Mar 15-May 14 (see map C on page 28)
No fishing in Salmon Arm Bay, west of line between Engineer’s Point and Sunnybrae Point (see map on page 28), for the conservation of chinook and coho salmon stocks, Sept 1-Dec 31 (anglers fishing from the community pier in the city of Salmon Arm are exempt from the closure)
No Ice Fishing
Rainbow trout daily quota = 1 (none under 50 cm), annual quota = 5
Char daily quota = 1 (none under 60 cm), annual quota = 5
Bait ban, single barbless hook (anglers fishing from the community pier in the city of Salmon Arm are exempt from the bait ban)
Conservation Surcharge Stamp required to catch and keep rainbow trout over 50 cm or char over 60 cm

Region 3 daily quotas

Trout/char: 5, but not more than 4 from streams, 1 over 50 cm and 1 bull trout (Dolly Varden) or lake trout, none under 60 cm. Release all steelhead, bull trout from streams Aug 1-Oct 31, and lake trout Oct 15-Jan 31.
Bass: 0 quota, closed to fishing
Burbot: 2
Crayfish: 25

All Region 3 quotas, closed and aerated lakes →

On the ice anywhere in BC

Ice fish with one line and one lure, artificial fly or other terminal attractor.
You are legally responsible for warning other people of your ice hole.
Remove your ice hut before ice breakup.

Nearest snow station: Turtle (660 m, 36 km away), 1 cm on November 2.

Source: BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis 2025-2027, matched to this water by name and management unit. Check in-season changes on the same page. No regulation makes ice safe: test it yourself. Ice fishing in BC guide.