Shutdunmun Lake Fishing Guide, Haines Junction, Yukon

• Overview

  Shutdunmun Lake sits in Haines Junction, out in Yukon. It sits at 1,218 metres above sea level. At about 75 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The full circuit measures close to 4.8 km on foot. Whitehorse sits 152 km from the bank. Skagway is 228 km and Haines 244 km. Alternatives close at hand: Killermun Lake just 5.9 km, Kloo Lake out at 18 km, Big Joe Lake just 19 km, Bear Lakes out at 20 km and Fly Lake just 21 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Shutdunmun Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Haines Junction, recorded fish include Arctic grayling, northern pike, lake trout, Dolly Varden and round whitefish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Shutdunmun Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 10°C and January at -18°C. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late May. From about late May to around mid October, expect open water on the long-run figures. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Shutdunmun Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Killermun Lake is 5.9 km distant. Nothing on Shutdunmun Lake should be assumed from this page alone.