Franklin Lake in Whitehorse: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Yukon, Franklin Lake belongs to Whitehorse. The bank is 1,169 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 12 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The edge runs 2.0 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. It is a small entry by Whitehorse standards. The closest town, Whitehorse, is 14 km away. Further out sit Skagway (137 km) and Haines (162 km). It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Franklin Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Whitehorse records list Chinook salmon, Arctic grayling and round whitefish among the fish reported. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Franklin Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 11°C and January near -18°C on the long-run figures. Cold dominates the year and the fishing works around it. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid May. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid May in spring and again near late October in autumn. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Franklin Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. For a change of water, Louise Lake is 2 km distant. For Franklin Lake in particular, ask before you travel.