Fishing Long Lake in Whitehorse, Yukon

• Overview

  Whitehorse, Yukon, is where Long Lake sits. The water sits 1,090 metres up. This is sizeable water at about 1.94 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. The margin runs to about 15 km in total. Nearest place of any size is Whitehorse, 46 km away. The big place round here is Anchorage, 808 km distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Whitehorse records list Chinook salmon, Arctic grayling, round whitefish, longnose sucker and least cisco among the fish reported. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of Long Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -19°C to 12°C. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Break-up comes around mid May, and the run that follows is short and strong. The water is typically free of ice between mid May and late October. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On Long Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Thomas Lake sits 8.9 km off and takes the overflow. The position on Long Lake is worth confirming on the day.