Fishing at Mink Lake, Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska

• Overview

  Mink Lake lies in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, in Alaska. Land around it is mixed woodland. Some 22 miles away sits Craig, the nearest settlement. The nearest city of size is Vancouver, 623 miles away. If this one is busy: Island Lake at about 0.7 miles, Marsh Lake 0.9 miles, Jay Lake at about 0.9 miles, Hook Lake 1.2 miles and Crooked Lake at about 1.4 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Mink Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Open biodiversity records for Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area list pink salmon, Chum salmon, Chinook salmon, Coho salmon and sockeye salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of Mink Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 56°F and January at 34°F. In milder years the surface never sets. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. It holds true on Mink Lake more years than not. Wind direction changes which bank is worth fishing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Island Lake, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing on Mink Lake should be assumed from this page alone.