Pot Lake Fishing near Sterling, Alaska

• Overview

  In Alaska, Pot Lake falls inside Kenai Peninsula Borough. The sea is 12 miles distant. About 19 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Kenai Peninsula Borough. Nearest place of any size is Sterling, 20 miles away. The nearest city of size is Anchorage, 36 miles away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Pot Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Kenai Peninsula Borough, recorded fish 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 Pot Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 57°F and January about 16°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly early November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Pot Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Junco Lake at 0.3 miles is the sensible second choice. The position on Pot Lake is worth confirming on the day.