Sheep Lake in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Alaska holds Sheep Lake, in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area. Elevation runs to 2,598 feet. Roughly 29 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Shoreline comes to about 1.2 miles, small enough to learn in a day. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area. The town to know is Willow, 101 miles out. The nearest city of size is Anchorage, 121 miles away. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Sheep Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area include bering cisco, least cisco and lake whitefish. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Sheep Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 53°F; by January the average is down near 3°F. This is a two-season water: locked, then wide open. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late May and starts locking again about mid October. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Plan any trip to Sheep Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Rainy Pass Lake at 4 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Sheep Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.