Tom Lake, Yukon: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Tom Lake sits in Watson Lake, out in Yukon. The setting is northern bush. The water covers around 1.78 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. The margin runs to about 11 km in total. The nearest town is Watson Lake, 44 km away. The nearest city of size is Anchorage, 1147 km away. Near neighbours: Lingfish Lake at 26 km, Baker Lake 31 km, Shrimp Lake at 33 km, Jackfish Lake 34 km and Windid Lake at 36 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Tom Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across Watson Lake: lake trout, longnose sucker, mountain whitefish and round whitefish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Tom Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 12°C in July and bottom out at -23°C in January. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. Winter locks it down, and mid May brings it back. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid May and starts locking again about late October. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. On Tom Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Lingfish Lake, 26 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm access to Tom Lake locally before you travel.