McLain Lake Fishing Guide, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  Look for McLain Lake in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. It stands 187 feet above sea level. At 279 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. The bank runs about 2.5 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Size puts it in the front rank of our Kenai Peninsula Borough list. Sterling lies 23 miles from the water. Funny River follows at 26 miles, then Nikiski at 27 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on McLain Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Kenai Peninsula Borough records list northern pike, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout, Coho salmon and Chinook salmon among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The shape of McLain Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 57°F and January near 16°F on the long-run figures. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. The season between ice runs from about late April to early November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. McLain Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Snowflake Lake, 1 mile away. Check the position on McLain Lake before loading the car.