Colt Lake Fishing Guide, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  Colt Lake belongs to Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska. Elevation runs to 157 feet. It runs to roughly 43 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Around 0.9 miles of margin, front to back. Nearest place of any size is Big Lake, 3 miles away. The big place round here is Anchorage, 24 miles distant. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Colt Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Species logged across Matanuska-Susitna Borough include rainbow trout, Coho salmon, sockeye salmon, longnose sucker and Arctic charr. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Colt Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 10°F in January up to 59°F in July. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about early November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It holds true on Colt Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Muleshoe Lake, 1.1 miles out. The position on Colt Lake is worth confirming on the day.