Cottonwood Lake near Nelson: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Cottonwood Lake is listed under Regional District of Central Kootenay, British Columbia. It sits at 896 metres above sea level. At 7 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The nearest place of any size is Nelson, 8.3 km away. Then Salmo, 26 km, and Castlegar, 32 km. Within a short run: Lost Lake sits 9 km out, Qua Lake a shade over 11 km, Barrett Lake sits 12 km out, Marble Lake a shade over 17 km and Siwash Lake sits 17 km out. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Cottonwood Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Regional District of Central Kootenay include rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, mountain whitefish, largescale sucker and cutthroat trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Cottonwood Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in August and bottom out at -5°C in January. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early April. Ice usually gives way near early April, and forms again about late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It holds true on Cottonwood Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Public data has parking about 310 m from the shore. A toilet block sits 330 m away. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Lost Lake sits 9 km off and takes the overflow. Where Cottonwood Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.