Mesa Lake, Alaska: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Mesa Lake is an Alaska water. Elevation runs to 413 feet. Roughly 456 acres of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. The shoreline runs about 9.9 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. It is among the larger waters listed here for Ketchikan Gateway Borough. 21 miles away sits Ketchikan, the nearest town. Vancouver is the closest city, 542 miles away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Mesa Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Open biodiversity records for Ketchikan Gateway Borough list pink salmon, Chum salmon, Chinook salmon and Coho salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Mesa Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 57°F on average, January about 31°F. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Expect Mesa Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Gokachin Lakes is 1.6 miles off. Check the position at Mesa Lake before loading the car.