Horseshoe Lake in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Horseshoe Lake is a Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area water, in Alaska. The country round it is northern bush from end to end. The water covers around 385 acres, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. Shoreline length is close to 9.9 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. It is low-lying compared with other Alaska water we list. Bethel at 121 miles is the nearest place to stop. For a city, Anchorage is 331 miles off. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Horseshoe Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Open biodiversity records for Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area list bering cisco, least cisco, lake whitefish, Arctic grayling and alaska blackfish. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Horseshoe Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 57°F and January near -1°F on the long-run figures. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. Once it clears, about mid May, the fishing comes on quickly. Averages place the thaw at mid May and the freeze at late October. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Anyone fishing Horseshoe Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Reindeer Lake, 16 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Horseshoe Lake in particular, ask before you travel.