Highbush Lake in City and Borough of Wrangell: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Highbush Lake lies in City and Borough of Wrangell, in Alaska. The sea is 1.6 miles distant. With some 77 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The whole outline is near 1.7 miles, and most of it is walkable. You are 15 miles from Wrangell. Petersburg is 47 miles and Ketchikan 70 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Highbush Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for City and Borough of Wrangell cover Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon and pink salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Highbush Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 55°F and January at 26°F. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Time your trip to Highbush Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Long Lake, 4.3 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Highbush Lake before loading the car.