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

• Overview

  Set in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska, this is Lake Ellen. The sea is 1 mile distant. The water covers some 62 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The full circuit measures close to 2.1 miles on foot. It lies lower than most water we list in Alaska. Some 25 miles away sits Craig, the nearest settlement. Beyond it, Ketchikan at 41 miles and Metlakatla at 52 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lake Ellen

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Being tidal, the water moves twice a day, and the fishing moves with it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Fish Lake Ellen to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 31°F to 57°F. Conditions shift steadily rather than sharply. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. At Lake Ellen the season follows that pattern closely. After a storm, the water clears from the edges inwards.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Lake Number Three is 0.7 miles off. Confirm before you fish Lake Ellen.