Bearman Lake in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Bearman Lake sits within Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area in Alaska. The surface lies 427 feet up. It measures some 384 acres, and wind has room to build across it. With 5.8 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Farmers Loop at 135 miles is the nearest place to stop. College is 140 miles away, with Fairbanks at 140 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Bearman Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Open biodiversity records for Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area list bering cisco, least cisco, lake whitefish and Arctic grayling. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. The shape of Bearman Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -18°F to 61°F. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid May and starts locking again about mid October. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan any trip to Bearman Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Sardine Can Lake sits 16 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing on Bearman Lake should be assumed from this page alone.