Fishing at Earn Lake, Faro, Yukon

• Overview

  Earn Lake is a Faro water, Yukon side. It sits in taiga country. This is big water, about 31.90 sq km, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. The bank runs about 64 km in total, split between open shore and sheltered corners. On our Faro list it sits near the top for size. 239 km away sits Whitehorse, the nearest town. Dawson City lies 290 km off, Skagway another 379 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Earn Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Faro records list Chinook salmon and Arctic grayling among the fish reported. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Fish Earn Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -22°C in January up to 13°C in July. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid May. Averages place the thaw at mid May and the freeze at mid October. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. It holds true on Earn Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Stokes Lake is 26 km distant. Check the position at Earn Lake before loading the car.