Curlew Lake Fishing near Sterling, Alaska

• Overview

  Set in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, this is Curlew Lake. Land around it is mixed forest. It measures about 150 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. About 2.5 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. The nearest town is Sterling, 21 miles away. Nikiski is 22 miles and Funny River 24 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Curlew Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Kenai Peninsula Borough include northern pike, sockeye salmon and rainbow trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Curlew Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 57°F on average, January about 17°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly early November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Curlew Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Bufflehead Lake is 1.3 miles distant. Ask locally about Curlew Lake if anything is unclear.