Butte Lake, Alaska: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Butte Lake lies in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska. Around the bank it is pine and birch. Surface area runs to about 4 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Matanuska-Susitna Borough. You are 0.6 miles from Butte. Anchorage is the closest city, 37 miles away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Butte Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Matanuska-Susitna Borough include rainbow trout, Coho salmon and sockeye salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Butte Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 58°F and January at 14°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. On average, late April opens the water and early November closes it again. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. At Butte Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Falks Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. The position on Butte Lake is worth confirming on the day.