Cedar Lake Fishing Guide, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  Cedar Lake is a Ketchikan Gateway Borough water, Alaska side. It sits 2.7 miles in from the sea. The water covers some 88 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. About 1.8 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. For a base, Ketchikan sits 35 miles out. Metlakatla is 49 miles and Wrangell 59 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Cedar Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Ketchikan Gateway Borough include pink salmon, Chum salmon and Chinook salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Cedar Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 28°F and August at about 56°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Conditions shift steadily rather than sharply. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. It sets the rhythm of the year at Cedar Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. 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. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Orchard Lake, 1.4 miles out. The position on Cedar Lake is worth confirming on the day.