Fishing at Hassell Lake, Village of Teslin, Yukon

• Overview

  Hassell Lake lies in Village of Teslin, Yukon. The bank is 1,363 metres above sea level. It measures some 1.01 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. The perimeter runs near 8.6 km, so plan the walk before you start. Compared with other Yukon water on our list, it sits high. Some 172 km away sits Whitehorse, the nearest settlement. Then Watson Lake, 190 km, and Skagway, 195 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Hassell Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Village of Teslin include Chinook salmon, lake whitefish and Arctic grayling. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Hassell Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 11°C in July and bottom out at -20°C in January. Ice holds for a long stretch, so the open weeks matter more here than further south. Break-up comes around mid May, and the run that follows is short and strong. From about mid May to around late October, expect open water on the long-run figures. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Hassell Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. 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. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Strawberry Lake, 7.1 km out. Treat Hassell Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.