Fishing Lake Nicholas in Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska

• Overview

  Lake Nicholas falls in Aleutians West Census Area, part of Alaska. It stands 7 feet above sea level. About 404 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. The outline measures near 4.9 miles, so local knowledge counts. On our Aleutians West Census Area list it sits near the top for size. Head to Dutch Harbor, 833 miles away, for anything you forgot. It is 1476 miles to Anchorage, the nearest city. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lake Nicholas

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Work the tide here — moving water feeds, slack water rests. 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. Across Aleutians West Census Area, recorded fish include Atlantic cod, Atlantic horse mackerel, European grayling, Atlantic herring and whiting. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Fish Lake Nicholas to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 50°F, the coldest about 29°F. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. Plan around that when you fish Lake Nicholas. Autumn cools the shallows first, so work deeper as it goes on.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Earle Lake at 22 miles is the sensible second choice. Rules at Lake Nicholas are worth checking on the day.