Fishing McKay Lake in Dawson, Yukon

• Overview

  Look for McKay Lake in the Dawson part of Yukon. It lies 678 metres above sea level. With some 26 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The full circuit measures close to 2.0 km on foot. Dawson City at 76 km is the nearest place to stop. Tok is 249 km away, with Deltana at 352 km. Other water nearby: Gravel Lake a touch under 9.3 km, Lenore Lake 11 km, Strickland Lake a touch under 14 km and Barlow Lake 16 km. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on McKay Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name Arctic grayling, Chinook salmon, lake whitefish, round whitefish and slimy sculpin. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. McKay Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -26°C in January and 14°C in July. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. Look for the thaw near mid May; the fishing lifts straight after. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid May and starts locking again about mid October. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. The season on McKay Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Gravel Lake is 9.3 km off. What applies at McKay Lake may have changed since it was mapped.