Fishing at Pistol Lake, Dawson, Yukon

• Overview

  Pistol Lake stands in Dawson, Yukon. It sits at 1,205 metres above sea level. It covers about 7 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by Dawson standards. The town to know is Dawson City, 108 km out. The big place round here is Anchorage, 716 km distant. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Pistol Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Dawson include Arctic grayling, Chinook salmon, lake whitefish and round whitefish. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Pistol Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 12°C at the top of summer and -25°C at the bottom of winter. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late May. Climate figures give an open season running late May to early October. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. The season on Pistol Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Boot Lake is 1.3 km off. Rules at Pistol Lake are worth checking on the day.