Lower Checats Lake Fishing Guide, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  Lower Checats Lake lies within the bounds of Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska. It sits in farm and woodlot country. The shoreline runs about 3.9 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Ground here is low by Alaska standards. The nearest place of any size is Ketchikan, 32 miles away. Metlakatla is 36 miles away, with Prince Rupert at 82 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lower Checats Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Species logged across Ketchikan Gateway Borough include pink salmon, Chum salmon and Chinook salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Lower Checats Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, August reads 57°F and January reads 30°F. Some winters cap it and some do not. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lower Checats Lake. Short days concentrate it into a narrow window.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. For a change of water, Upper Checats Lake is 3 miles distant. Nothing here settles the position at Lower Checats Lake for certain.