McKinney Lake Fishing in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska

• Overview

  McKinney Lake stands in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska. It sits 8.6 miles in from the sea. At 319 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. Shoreline length is close to 5.4 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. Juneau sits 44 miles from the bank. Sitka is 57 miles away, with Petersburg at 78 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on McKinney Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Hoonah-Angoon Census Area cover pink salmon, Chum salmon, Coho salmon, Dolly Varden and Chinook salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Fish McKinney Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical August readings run about 56°F; by January the average is down near 26°F. Spring and autumn are the strongest, but nothing is truly closed. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. The season on McKinney Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Lake Guerin at 1.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Rules at McKinney Lake are worth checking on the day.