Mendenhall Lake, Alaska: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Mendenhall Lake sits in Juneau City and Borough, out in Alaska. The bank is 52 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to roughly 1,052 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. You are looking at roughly 7.9 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. It lies lower than most water we list in Alaska. The town to know is Juneau, 9.9 miles out. The big place round here is Anchorage, 565 miles distant. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Mendenhall Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Public occurrence data for Juneau City and Borough names Chum salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon and pink salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Mendenhall Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 52°F in July and bottom out at 21°F in January. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan around that when you fish Mendenhall Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Auke Lake at 3.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat Mendenhall Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.