Horseshoe Lake Fishing in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  Horseshoe Lake lies within the bounds of Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska. Height above sea level is 732 feet. Small at around 19 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. The whole outline is near 2.1 miles, and most of it is walkable. Start from Eielson Air Force Base, 7 miles down the road. North Pole follows at 9.1 miles, then Badger at 15 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Horseshoe Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Fairbanks North Star Borough cover northern pike, Arctic grayling, least cisco, Chinook salmon and round whitefish. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Work Horseshoe Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -8°F in January up to 61°F in July. This is a two-season water: locked, then wide open. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid October. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Plan any trip to Horseshoe Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Manchu Lake is 4.2 miles distant. Check the current arrangement for Horseshoe Lake.