Fishing at Hatseegatloth Lake, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska

• Overview

  Out in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, sits Hatseegatloth Lake. The water sits 194 feet up. The water covers some 149 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. About 3.1 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Kotzebue lies 195 miles from the water. Then Healy, 253 miles, and Ester, 256 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Hatseegatloth Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Across Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, recorded fish include bering cisco, least cisco and lake whitefish. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Treat Hatseegatloth Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 60°F and January at -6°F. Everything is compressed into the middle of the year. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid May. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid May in spring and again near mid October in autumn. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Expect Hatseegatloth Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Coffee Can Lake at 8.6 miles is the sensible second choice. For Hatseegatloth Lake in particular, ask before you travel.