Fishing at Olive Lake, City and Borough of Wrangell, Alaska

• Overview

  Olive Lake sits within City and Borough of Wrangell in Alaska. The surface lies 443 feet up. Around 157 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Around 2.1 miles of margin, front to back. Wrangell lies 21 miles from the water. Further out sit Petersburg (50 miles) and Craig (56 miles). Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Olive Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across City and Borough of Wrangell, recorded fish include Chinook 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. Olive Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, August reads 56°F and January reads 28°F. Some winters cap it and some do not. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Olive Lake. Autumn cools the shallows first, so work deeper as it goes on.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Burnett Lake at 4.8 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat Olive Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.