Charlotte Unarmoured Stickleback
The Charlotte Unarmoured Stickleback is a critically rare freshwater fish found only in three small lakes on Graham Island, Haida Gwaii, British Columbia. It is not a sport fish — no directed fishery exists for it.
Its place in Canadian waters is as a conservation subject: a Canadian endemic so restricted in range that any disturbance to its lakes carries real extinction risk.
Also known as Charlotte Unarmoured Threespine Stickleback, Unarmoured Threespine Stickleback
- Tiny fish, roughly 65 mm (about 2.5 inches) at maturity — small enough to fit in a cupped hand.
- Distinguished from typical threespine sticklebacks by reduced or absent bony lateral plates and the loss of one or more of the usual dorsal spines.
- Retains the basic stickleback body plan — slender, with a narrow caudal peduncle — but looks noticeably "softer" and less armoured than its marine relatives.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- A Canadian endemic found nowhere else on Earth: restricted to Boulton, Rouge, and Serendipity lakes on Graham Island, Haida Gwaii, British Columbia.
- Total range is approximately 124 km²; the area these fish actually occupy is estimated at just 20 km².
- These are small, predatory-fish-free lakes — the absence of cutthroat trout and other fish predators is what allows this unarmoured form to persist.
- Rouge and Serendipity lake watersheds fall within Naikoon Provincial Park; Boulton Lake provides the largest known population.
Key Locations
- Boulton Lake, Graham Island, Haida Gwaii — largest known population, estimated in the low hundreds of thousands.
- Rouge Lake, Graham Island, Haida Gwaii — smaller population, estimated in the high thousands; located within Naikoon Provincial Park on a private holding.
- Serendipity Lake, Graham Island, Haida Gwaii — population estimated in the low tens of thousands; watershed within Naikoon Provincial Park.
Specific Spots
- Not applicable as a target species — no directed angling occurs for this fish.
See it in the app
Most maps show you water.
onWater shows you Charlotte Unarmoured Stickleback.
- 01 · Species map filter
Map every Charlotte Unarmoured Stickleback water
Pick Charlotte Unarmoured Stickleback and the map zeroes in on the waters they call home. No more guessing which lake holds them.
- 02 · Waterbody species
Tap any water. See what lives there.
Species, behavior and seasonal patterns for every lake, river and pond, before you leave the driveway.
- 03 · Angler Intelligence
Ask how to catch Charlotte Unarmoured Stickleback
Tactics, gear and timing from onWater's AI fishing guide, tuned to the species and the water you're on.
Stop guessing where Charlotte Unarmoured Stickleback are.
Open the map, filter by Charlotte Unarmoured Stickleback, and head to water that holds them. Download onWater and plan your next trip in minutes.
- Species map filter
- Angler Intelligence
- Fishing journal
Explore other species
Trout, bass, salmon, panfish and everything in between. Each guide unpacks the behavior, seasons, and tactics that put fish in the net.
No species information available.
Smarter Fishing Starts in the App.
onWater Fish gives you everything you need to plan smarter, fish better, and own every trip from first cast to last.