Fish Hole Lake in Southeast Fairbanks Census Area: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Fish Hole Lake is one of the Southeast Fairbanks Census Area listings for Alaska. Everything around it is northern bush. This is sizeable water at about 1,308 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. Around 13 miles of bank, which is a long day on foot. The nearest place of any size is Tok, 116 miles away. After that come Dawson City at 130 miles and Deltana at 193 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Fish Hole Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Southeast Fairbanks Census Area cover Arctic grayling, lake whitefish and lake trout. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. At Fish Hole Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 56°F, the coldest about -14°F. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid May. In an average year the thaw lands around mid May and the freeze near mid October. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Anyone fishing Fish Hole Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Wellesley Lake, 16 miles away. For Fish Hole Lake in particular, ask before you travel.