Wellesley Lake Fishing Guide, Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska

• Overview

  Wellesley Lake stands in Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska. Around the bank it is taiga. Around 28.6 sq miles of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. It sits round rather than ragged, so structure comes from depth, not shape. By surface area it heads our Southeast Fairbanks Census Area listings. Supplies mean a trip to Dawson City, 119 miles off. Tok follows at 121 miles, then Whitehorse at 193 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Wellesley Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. County-wide records name Arctic grayling, lake whitefish, lake trout and longnose sucker. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Wellesley Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 58°F in July and bottoms out near -14°F in January. Cold dominates the year and the fishing works around it. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid May. The lid tends to go about mid May and return around late October. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. The season on Wellesley Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. 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. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Fish Hole Lake, 16 miles out. Nothing on Wellesley Lake should be assumed from this page alone.