Fishing at Lake Galea, Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska

• Overview

  Lake Galea is a Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area water, in Alaska. This is rolling hill ground. About 304 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. With 8.8 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Nearest town is Craig, 26 miles off. It is 611 miles to Vancouver, the nearest city. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lake Galea

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area records list pink salmon, Chum salmon, Chinook salmon, Coho salmon and sockeye salmon among the fish reported. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Fish Lake Galea where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 56°F; the cold one sits at 31°F. Mild ends to the year keep the season long. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Time your trip to Lake Galea by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Thorne Lake is 6.2 miles distant. For Lake Galea in particular, ask before you travel.