Bass Lakes in British Columbia

Government fish surveys have recorded bass in 53 British Columbia lakes, 2% of the 2,671 lakes in this atlas with sport-fish records.

Lakes: 53
Recorded since 2010: 19
Median size: 0.54 km²
Latest record: 2022

Where it is found

Most of these lakes are in Capital (10), East Kootenay (9) and Nanaimo (8).

In these lakes the sport fish most often recorded alongside it are rainbow trout (96%), cutthroat trout (53%), pumpkinseed (43%) and brook trout (40%).

Seasons, limits and sanctuaries vary by zone: check the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations before you fish.

Lake with a full profileOther lake

By species

Species	Lakes with survey records	Lakes stocked	Share of all
Smallmouth Bass	36		68%
Largemouth Bass	21		40%

Where bass is most consistently recorded

Ranked by the number of observation records, then by the most recent record.

#	Lake	Records	Last record	Area km²
1	Quennell LakeNanaimo	Smallmouth Bass 50	1993	1.14
2	Beaver LakeCariboo	Smallmouth Bass 27	2012	1.7
3	Vaseux LakeOkanagan-Similkameen	Largemouth Bass 4 · Smallmouth Bass 17	2015	2.83
4	Shawnigan LakeCowichan Valley	Smallmouth Bass 15	2022	5.45
5	Cusheon LakeCapital	Smallmouth Bass 15	2012	0.28
6	Windermere LakeEast Kootenay	Largemouth Bass 13	2021	16.2
7	Cultus LakeFraser Valley	Smallmouth Bass 12	2021	6.34
8	Elk LakeCapital	Smallmouth Bass 9	2005	2.23
9	Skaha LakeOkanagan-Similkameen	Smallmouth Bass 7	2012	19.5
10	Spider LakeNanaimo	Smallmouth Bass 6	2012	0.54
11	Prospect LakeCapital	Smallmouth Bass 5	2012	0.68
12	Oliphant LakeCowichan Valley	Smallmouth Bass 5	2007	0.22
13	Glen LakeCapital	Smallmouth Bass 5	1993	0.16
14	Long LakeNanaimo	Smallmouth Bass 4	2019	0.39
15	St. Mary LakeCapital	Smallmouth Bass 4	2017	1.78
16	Langford LakeCapital	Smallmouth Bass 4	2005	0.61
17	McKenzie LakeCapital	Smallmouth Bass 4	2002	0.15
18	Okanagan LakeCentral Okanagan	Smallmouth Bass 3	2020	349
19	Green LakeNanaimo	Smallmouth Bass 3	1993	0.12
20	Wasa LakeEast Kootenay	Largemouth Bass 3	1990	1.05
21	Tie LakeEast Kootenay	Largemouth Bass 2	2018	1.36
22	Catbird SloughGreater Vancouver	Largemouth Bass 2	2013	0.28
23	Chambers LakeCariboo	Smallmouth Bass 2	2012	2.77
24	Hatzic LakeFraser Valley	Smallmouth Bass 2	2009	2.85
25	Matheson LakeCapital	Smallmouth Bass 2	2004	0.22
26	Jim Smith LakeEast Kootenay	Largemouth Bass 2	2003	0.23
27	Tugulnuit LakeOkanagan-Similkameen	Largemouth Bass 2 · Smallmouth Bass 1	1995	0.47
28	Kootenay LakeCentral Kootenay	Largemouth Bass 2	1994	422
29	Suzanne LakeEast Kootenay	Largemouth Bass 2	1991	0.4
30	Upper Arrow LakeCentral Kootenay	Largemouth Bass 2	1982	510
31	Fuller LakeCowichan Valley	Smallmouth Bass 2	1958	0.24
32	Shannon LakeCentral Okanagan	Largemouth Bass 2	1951	0.14
33	Diver LakeNanaimo	Smallmouth Bass 1	2020	0.12
34	Erie LakeCentral Kootenay	Largemouth Bass 1 · Smallmouth Bass 1	2015	0.36
35	Phillips LakeThompson-Nicola	Largemouth Bass 1 · Smallmouth Bass 1	2010	0.3
36	Big LakeCariboo	Smallmouth Bass 1	2010	5.8
37	Silvermere LakeFraser Valley	Largemouth Bass 1	2009	1.18
38	Gardom LakeColumbia-Shuswap	Smallmouth Bass 1	2009	0.77
39	Kemp LakeCapital	Smallmouth Bass 1	2003	0.24
40	Westwood LakeNanaimo	Smallmouth Bass 1	2003	0.64
41	Yellow LakeOkanagan-Similkameen	Largemouth Bass 1	1995	0.32
42	Lubbe LakeCapital	Smallmouth Bass 1	1993	0.52
43	Brannen LakeNanaimo	Smallmouth Bass 1	1993	1.09
44	Charlie LakePeace River	Largemouth Bass 1	1990	18.1
45	Haha LakeEast Kootenay	Largemouth Bass 1	1990	0.14
46	Lund LakeEast Kootenay	Largemouth Bass 1	1990	0.1
47	Baynes LakeEast Kootenay	Largemouth Bass 1	1990	0.24
48	Illusion LakesNanaimo	Smallmouth Bass 1	1986	0.12
49	Beaver LakeCowichan Valley	Smallmouth Bass 1	1983	0.18
50	Edith LakeEast Kootenay	Smallmouth Bass 1	1972	0.13

Top 50 of 53 lakes. Download the full list (CSV). Source: British Columbia’s Fisheries Information Summary System observations (OGL-BC). Data as of October 9, 2026. A record means a survey caught or observed the species, not that it is abundant today.

Bass Lakes in British Columbia

Where it is found

By species

Where bass is most consistently recorded

Other fish in British Columbia