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

• Overview

  Look for Hozatka Lake in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska. Elevation runs to 220 feet. It measures some 1,093 acres, and wind has room to build across it. The edge covers about 9.6 miles, enough to hold several distinct areas. Size puts it in the front rank of our Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area list. The closest town, Kotzebue, is 204 miles distant. Further out sit Healy (245 miles) and Ester (251 miles). The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Hozatka Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records held for Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area cover bering cisco, least cisco, lake whitefish, Arctic grayling and alaska blackfish. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Hozatka Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -8°F to 60°F. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. The lid usually goes in mid May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid May in spring and again near mid October in autumn. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. That is the shape of the year on Hozatka Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Birch Lake, 10 miles away. None of that is settled for Hozatka Lake in what we hold.