Fish Lake in Copper River Census Area: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Fish Lake is listed under Copper River Census Area, Alaska. The ground around here is dry open country. At 528 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. The margin runs to about 8.4 miles in total. Size puts it in the front rank of our Copper River Census Area list. Nearest place of any size is Deltana, 50 miles away. Salcha follows at 94 miles, then Tok at 94 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Fish Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Copper River Census Area records list Arctic grayling, Chinook salmon and round whitefish among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Fish Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 53°F, while January sits near -1°F. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. Look for the thaw near late May; the fishing lifts straight after. Ice usually gives way near late May, and forms again about mid October. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Fish Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Lower Tangle Lake, 6.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat access at Fish Lake as something to verify.