Goat Lake Fishing Guide, Village of Teslin, Yukon

• Overview

  Village of Teslin in Yukon is where Goat Lake sits. It sits in spruce and muskeg country. At some 1.45 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The margin runs to about 9.7 km in total. Compared with other Yukon water on our list, it sits high. Watson Lake lies 113 km from the water. Beyond it, Whitehorse at 244 km and Skagway at 269 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Goat Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Village of Teslin, recorded fish include Chinook salmon, lake whitefish and Arctic grayling. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Anyone new to Goat Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -19°C to 10°C. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. Break-up comes around late May, and the run that follows is short and strong. In an average year the thaw lands around late May and the freeze near mid October. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. It holds true on Goat Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. 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. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Shilsky Lake sits 8.8 km off and takes the overflow. Rules at Goat Lake are worth checking on the day.