Fishing Deep Lake in Stikine Region, British Columbia

• Overview

  Set in Stikine Region, British Columbia, this is Deep Lake. Elevation runs to 865 metres. With some 30 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Shoreline comes to about 4.5 km, small enough to learn in a day. It is a small entry by Stikine Region standards. The nearest place of any size is Skagway, 36 km away. It is 823 km to Anchorage, the nearest city. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Deep Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, mountain whitefish and Arctic grayling. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Take Deep Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 10°C in July and bottom out at -15°C in January. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid May. The open-water window runs from around mid May to about late October in an average year. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Expect Deep Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A camping area sits within 690 m of here. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Long Lake is 1.7 km off. Check the current arrangement for Deep Lake.