Calico Lake Fishing in Dawson, Yukon

• Overview

  Yukon holds Calico Lake, in Dawson. Around the bank it is spruce and muskeg. At 9 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Dawson list. Dawson City lies 99 km from the water. The big place round here is Anchorage, 705 km distant. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Calico Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Dawson include Arctic grayling, Chinook salmon and lake whitefish. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Fish Calico Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 12°C and January near -26°C on the long-run figures. This far north the hard season runs and runs. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late May. From about late May to around early October, expect open water on the long-run figures. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan any trip to Calico Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Chapman Lake sits 3.2 km off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Calico Lake before loading the car.