Boulder Lake in Copper River Census Area: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Alaska holds Boulder Lake, in Copper River Census Area. This is open dry country country. At 354 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. The full circuit measures close to 3.1 miles on foot. It sits higher than most water we list in Alaska. Some 96 miles away sits Deltana, the nearest settlement. The nearest city of size is Anchorage, 164 miles away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Boulder Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Open biodiversity records for Copper River Census Area list Arctic grayling, Chinook salmon, round whitefish, longnose sucker and Dolly Varden. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Boulder Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 56°F, the coldest about -5°F. Cold dominates the calendar on water this far north. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid May. On average, mid May opens the water and mid October closes it again. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Anyone fishing Boulder Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Middle Lake is 2.8 miles distant. Confirm access to Boulder Lake locally before you travel.