Fishing at Bryde Lake, Village of Teslin, Yukon

• Overview

  In Yukon, Bryde Lake belongs to Village of Teslin. The bank is 1,124 metres above sea level. At some 2.06 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. At about 10 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Nearest town is Whitehorse, 125 km off. Skagway lies 136 km off, Haines another 156 km. Also worth knowing: Laidlaw Lake out at 8.6 km, Proulx Lake about 8.7 km, Sterlin Lake out at 8.7 km, Chabot Lake about 9.2 km and Naystayo Lake out at 9.5 km. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Bryde Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Village of Teslin include Chinook salmon, lake whitefish and Arctic grayling. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Bryde Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 11°C, while January sits near -18°C. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. After mid May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid May in spring and again near late October in autumn. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Bryde Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Laidlaw Lake, 8.6 km out. Where Bryde Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.