Auke Lake near Juneau: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Juneau City and Borough, Alaska, is where Auke Lake sits. It sits 0.8 miles in from the sea. The water covers some 178 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Shoreline comes to about 2.5 miles, small enough to learn in a day. It is low-lying compared with other Alaska water we list. Start from Juneau, 9.7 miles down the road. It is 564 miles to Anchorage, the nearest city. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Auke Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. 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. Survey and observation records for Juneau City and Borough include Chum salmon, sockeye salmon and Coho salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Auke Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 57°F on average, January about 26°F. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. It holds true on Auke Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is a slipway on the shore, half a mile from the water we list. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Mendenhall Lake, 3.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Auke Lake.