Olsjold Lake in Kenai Peninsula Borough: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Olsjold Lake in the Kenai Peninsula Borough part of Alaska. The shore lies 11 miles out. At about 49 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The full circuit measures close to 1.3 miles on foot. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Kenai Peninsula Borough. Sterling is the closest town at 23 miles. After that come Funny River at 25 miles and Ridgeway at 30 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Olsjold Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. 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. Records held for Kenai Peninsula Borough cover northern pike, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout and Coho salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of Olsjold Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 57°F, with January the cold end at about 17°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about early November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Time your trip to Olsjold Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Wonder Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm access to Olsjold Lake locally before you travel.