Polecat Lake, Yukon: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Carmacks in Yukon is where Polecat Lake sits. It stands 1,069 metres above sea level. At 1.70 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. The edge covers about 7.4 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Whitehorse lies 169 km from the water. It is 660 km to Anchorage, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Polecat Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Carmacks, recorded fish include Chinook salmon, Arctic grayling and northern pike. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Polecat Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 12°C; by January the average is down near -22°C. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. Winter locks it down, and mid May brings it back. Open water usually runs from mid May until about mid October. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan around that when you fish Polecat Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Steambath Lake at 2.2 km is the sensible second choice. Signs at Polecat Lake carry more weight than any list.