Fishing Lonely Lake in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  This water sits in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. It sits 12 miles in from the sea. Roughly 66 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Around 1.9 miles of margin, front to back. Nearest town is Sterling, 19 miles off. Funny River is 21 miles and Ridgeway 25 miles. Others worth noting: Shrew Lake (0.4 miles), Pond Lake at 0.4 miles, Lo Lake (0.6 miles), Leaf Lake at 0.7 miles and Kuviak Lake (0.8 miles). The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lonely Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Kenai Peninsula Borough cover northern pike, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout, Coho salmon and Chinook salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Lonely Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 57°F, while January sits near 16°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near early November in autumn. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lonely Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Shrew Lake at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm access to Lonely Lake locally before you travel.