Badger Lake Fishing in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  Badger Lake is one of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough listings for Alaska. Elevation runs to 338 feet. This is sizeable water at about 537 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. Some 5.2 miles of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. It is among the larger waters listed here for Ketchikan Gateway Borough. Start from Metlakatla, 32 miles down the road. It is 524 miles to Vancouver, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Badger Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Ketchikan Gateway Borough cover pink salmon, Chum salmon, Chinook salmon, Coho salmon and sockeye salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Badger Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 29°F to 56°F. Whether it freezes depends on the year. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. It holds true on Badger Lake more years than not. Short days concentrate it into a narrow window.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Bakewell Lake at 4.5 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm access to Badger Lake locally before you travel.