Round Lake, Alaska: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area end of Alaska holds Round Lake. Height above sea level is 440 feet. With some 123 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Shoreline comes to about 1.9 miles, small enough to learn in a day. The closest town, Susitna North, is 152 miles distant. Anchorage is the closest city, 188 miles away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Round Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name bering cisco, least cisco and lake whitefish. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The shape of Round Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 59°F at the top of summer and -4°F at the bottom of winter. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. From about early May to around late October, expect open water on the long-run figures. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. On Round Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Reed Lake, 2.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing on Round Lake should be assumed from this page alone.