Punchbowl Lake in Ketchikan Gateway Borough: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Punchbowl Lake is one of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough listings for Alaska. The bank is 610 feet above sea level. About 2.5 sq miles, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. Few waters listed in Ketchikan Gateway Borough are bigger. Ketchikan at 37 miles is the nearest place to stop. Vancouver sits 538 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Punchbowl Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Open biodiversity records for Ketchikan Gateway Borough list pink salmon, Chum salmon, Chinook salmon, Coho salmon and sockeye salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Punchbowl Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August near 56°F and January near 27°F on the long-run figures. Mild ends to the year keep the season long. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Punchbowl Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Upper Checats Lake at 3.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Punchbowl Lake if anything is unclear.