Fishing Gagara Lake in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  Gagara Lake is a Kenai Peninsula Borough water, Alaska side. The shore lies 14 miles out. Surface area is around 87 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The bank runs about 2.6 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Sterling is the closest town at 4.4 miles. Anchorage sits 56 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Gagara Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name northern pike, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout and Coho salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Gagara Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 57°F for July and 15°F for January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly early November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Gagara Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Tree Lake at 1.1 miles is the nearest alternative. For Gagara Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.