Poplar Lake Fishing Guide, Carmacks, Yukon

• Overview

  Poplar Lake lies in Carmacks, Yukon. The land about it is open dry country. With some 70 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The margin runs to about 10 km in total. Nearest town is Whitehorse, 168 km off. Skagway is 271 km away, with Dawson City at 286 km. Nearest other option: Steambath Lake roughly 4.2 km, Polecat Lake near enough 6.2 km, Duck Lake roughly 6.9 km, Five Mile Lake near enough 8 km and MartensLake roughly 8.8 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Poplar Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Carmacks records list Chinook salmon, Arctic grayling and northern pike among the fish reported. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Read Poplar Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 12°C, while January sits near -21°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Break-up comes around mid May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Expect the water usable from around mid May until roughly mid October. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. At Poplar Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Steambath Lake sits 4.2 km off and takes the overflow. For Poplar Lake in particular, ask before you travel.