Blockade Lake, Alaska: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Alaska holds Blockade Lake, in Kenai Peninsula Borough. Country round the bank runs to pine and birch. Surface area runs to some 4.5 sq miles, so a boat and a plan are both worth having. The margin runs to about 15 miles in total. On our Kenai Peninsula Borough list it sits near the top for size. The closest town, Nikiski, is 43 miles distant. The nearest city of size is Anchorage, 88 miles away. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Blockade Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Kenai Peninsula Borough cover northern pike, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout, Coho salmon and Chinook salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Fish Blockade Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 47°F in July and bottoms out near 12°F in January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Look for the thaw near late May; the fishing lifts straight after. Climate figures give an open season running late May to mid October. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On Blockade Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Summit Lake, 16 miles out. Check the position at Blockade Lake before loading the car.