Fishing Ch'akajabena Lake in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, is where Ch'akajabena Lake sits. The ground around here is pine and birch. Supplies mean a trip to Nikiski, 56 miles off. Kenai is 64 miles away, with Ridgeway at 69 miles. Within easy reach: 7.8 miles out stands Shamrock Lake, Kenibuna Lake 11 miles off, 18 miles out stands Blockade Lake, Summit Lake 30 miles off and 30 miles out stands Strandline Lake. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Ch'akajabena Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across Kenai Peninsula Borough include northern pike, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout, Coho salmon and Chinook salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Ch'akajabena Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 51°F; by January the average is down near 11°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Break-up comes around mid May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid May until roughly late October. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Ch'akajabena Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Shamrock Lake sits 7.8 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the current arrangement for Ch'akajabena Lake.