Crystal Lake, Yukon: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Crystal Lake belongs to Mayo, Yukon. This is taiga ground. The water covers around 1.73 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. Some 6.9 km of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. The nearest town is Dawson City, 189 km away. After that come Whitehorse at 286 km and Tok at 345 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Crystal Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Mayo include Chinook salmon, mountain whitefish and sockeye salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Crystal Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 13°C in July and bottom out at -24°C in January. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. Ice-out usually falls in mid May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid May until roughly mid October. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Crystal Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For salmon, swing spoons or flies through the moving water and mind the local method rules. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Ethel Lake, 15 km away, makes the obvious fallback. The position on Crystal Lake is worth confirming on the day.