Heckman Lake Fishing near Ketchikan, Alaska

• Overview

  Heckman Lake lies within the bounds of Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska. It sits in farm and woodlot. It measures some 434 acres, and wind has room to build across it. With 5.8 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Ketchikan is the closest place, 17 miles off. Vancouver is the closest city, 562 miles away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Heckman Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name pink salmon, Chum salmon and Chinook salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Work Heckman Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 57°F at the top of summer and 31°F at the bottom of winter. Temperature moves within a narrow band, and so does the fishing. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Heckman Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Jordan Lake at 1.8 miles is the sensible second choice. For Heckman Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.