Bates Lake in Haines Junction: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Bates Lake lies in Haines Junction, in Yukon. It sits at 690 metres above sea level. This is big water, about 19.47 sq km, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. The perimeter is close to 36 km, and wind can be flat in one arm and rough in the next. Size puts it in the front rank of our Haines Junction list. Nearest town is Whitehorse, 149 km off. The nearest city of size is Anchorage, 676 km away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Bates Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Haines Junction include Arctic grayling, northern pike and lake trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Bates Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 11°C in July and bottoms out near -16°C in January. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Break-up comes around mid May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Expect the water usable from around mid May until roughly late October. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. At Bates Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, Mush Lake is 10 km off. Check the position on Bates Lake before loading the car.