Fishing Kwain Lake in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska

• Overview

  Within Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska, you have Kwain Lake. The surface lies 1,056 feet up. The water covers some 44 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. With about 1.2 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Our Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area list holds plenty of bigger water. Metlakatla lies 7.6 miles from the water. Ketchikan is 21 miles away, with Prince Rupert at 68 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Kwain Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name pink salmon, Chum salmon, Chinook salmon and Coho salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Take Kwain Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 33°F in January up to 57°F in August. Neither winter nor summer shuts things down for long. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Kwain Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Crater Lake is 1.8 miles distant. Where Kwain Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.