Fishing at John Lake, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska

• Overview

  Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area in Alaska is where John Lake sits. Elevation runs to 1,093 feet. It measures about 57 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Around 2.5 miles of margin, front to back. Our Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area list holds plenty of bigger water. For supplies, Susitna North is 126 miles out. It is 154 miles to Anchorage, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on John Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area include bering cisco, least cisco, lake whitefish and Arctic grayling. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish John Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -1°F to 57°F. Everything is compressed into the middle of the year. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid May. The season between ice runs from about mid May to mid October. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Expect John Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Submarine Lake, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. The position on John Lake is worth confirming on the day.