Buteo Lake Fishing Guide, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  Buteo Lake lies in Kenai Peninsula Borough, in Alaska. The shore lies 14 miles out. It measures about 194 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. With 4.8 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. For supplies, Sterling is 19 miles out. Funny River is 21 miles away, with Ridgeway at 28 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Buteo Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Kenai Peninsula Borough cover northern pike, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout, Coho salmon and Chinook salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Buteo Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 57°F and January near 16°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Ice clears near late April and comes back about early November in a typical year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Plan around that when you fish Buteo Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Antler Lake is 0.9 miles distant. Check the position on Buteo Lake before loading the car.