Szoosinlin Lake Fishing Guide, Carmacks, Yukon

• Overview

  Look for Szoosinlin Lake in Carmacks, Yukon. The bank gives way to open dry country. This is sizeable water at about 3.35 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. There is roughly 10 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Start from Whitehorse, 143 km down the road. Then Skagway, 251 km, and Haines, 272 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Szoosinlin Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Carmacks include Chinook salmon, Arctic grayling and northern pike. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Szoosinlin Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -21°C in January and 11°C in July. Ice holds for a long stretch, so the open weeks matter more here than further south. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid May until roughly mid October. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. That is the shape of the year on Szoosinlin Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Decourcy Lake sits 6.3 km off and takes the overflow. For Szoosinlin Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.