Kootenay Lake is one of British Columbia's most extraordinary fisheries, a glacier-fed inland sea nestled deep in the Interior among the jagged peaks of the Purcell and Selkirk mountain ranges. Stretching across a glacially carved valley, this massive lake supports 22 fish species and harbors one of the rarest and most celebrated trophy fisheries in the world — the Gerrard rainbow trout. The lake's ecosystem is ancient and ecologically unique, shaped by glacial forces that isolated species and drove them to evolve into genetically distinct populations found nowhere else on earth. The picturesque city of Nelson, along with the communities of Balfour and Kaslo, serve as the primary base camps for visiting anglers, offering lodging, guide services, and full outfitter support. Whether you're chasing world-record-class rainbows, hard-fighting bull trout, or abundant kokanee, Kootenay Lake delivers a fishing experience that is genuinely unlike anything else in Canada.