Fishing at Lower Telida Lake, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska

• Overview

  Lower Telida Lake is one of the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area waters in Alaska. The bank is 623 feet above sea level. At 308 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. The perimeter runs near 3.9 miles, so plan the walk before you start. Healy is the closest place, 134 miles off. The nearest city of size is Anchorage, 186 miles away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Lower Telida Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. County-wide records name bering cisco, least cisco, lake whitefish and Arctic grayling. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Lower Telida Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 59°F; by January the average is down near -4°F. Water stays cold even at the height of the year. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. From about early May to around late October, expect open water on the long-run figures. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan around that when you fish Lower Telida Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. 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. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Upper Telida Lake is 2.7 miles distant. Treat access at Lower Telida Lake as something to verify.