Pillar Creek Upper Reservoir, Alaska: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Alaska, Pillar Creek Upper Reservoir belongs to Kodiak Island Borough. It sits 1.6 miles in from the sea. The closest town, Kodiak, is 1.5 miles distant. For a city, Anchorage is 252 miles off. Within a short drive: Lower Reservoir (1.6 miles), Lilly Lake within 2.1 miles, Potatopatch Lake (2.3 miles), Dark Lake within 2.5 miles and Mission Lake (2.7 miles). The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Pillar Creek Upper Reservoir

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Public occurrence data for Kodiak Island Borough names walleye pollock, Pacific cod, Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and Chum salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Pillar Creek Upper Reservoir the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 54°F, the coldest about 30°F. The year turns gently, without extremes at either end. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. The season on Pillar Creek Upper Reservoir rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Walleye come to jigs worked slow near bottom, and to trolled crankbaits along the drops at dusk. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Lower Reservoir at 1.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing here settles the position at Pillar Creek Upper Reservoir for certain.