Humpback Lake in Ketchikan Gateway Borough: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Humpback Lake is a Ketchikan Gateway Borough water, in Alaska. It sits in farm and woodlot. Surface area runs to roughly 1,344 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The perimeter runs near 15 miles, so plan the walk before you start. Size puts it in the front rank of our Ketchikan Gateway Borough list. The closest town, Metlakatla, is 41 miles away. Ketchikan is 48 miles away, with Prince Rupert at 50 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Humpback Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Ketchikan Gateway Borough: pink salmon, Chum salmon, Chinook salmon, Coho salmon and sockeye salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Work Humpback Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put August near 56°F and January near 28°F. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. The season on Humpback Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Little Humpback Lake at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. For Humpback Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.