Paddle Lake Fishing in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  The Kenai Peninsula Borough entry here is Paddle Lake, in Alaska. The water sits 243 feet up. Roughly 107 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The perimeter runs near 3.4 miles, so plan the walk before you start. 18 miles away sits Sterling, the nearest town. Beyond it, Funny River at 20 miles and Ridgeway at 25 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Paddle Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Kenai Peninsula Borough include northern pike, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout and Coho salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Paddle Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 16°F in January to roughly 57°F in July. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. The water is typically free of ice between late April and early November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Plan any trip to Paddle Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, Channel Lake is 0.6 miles off. Signs at Paddle Lake carry more weight than any list.