Fox Lake, Yukon: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Whitehorse end of Yukon holds Fox Lake. The country here is dry rangeland. It measures some 1.84 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. The shoreline runs about 9.8 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. The nearest town is Whitehorse, 54 km away. Skagway follows at 149 km, then Haines at 174 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Fox Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Whitehorse: Chinook salmon, Arctic grayling, round whitefish, longnose sucker and least cisco. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Fox Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 13°C in July and bottoms out near -20°C in January. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about late October. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Fox Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Michie Lake is 7.4 km off. Nothing on Fox Lake should be assumed from this page alone.