Fishing at Shishkof Pond, Aleutians East Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  Shishkof Pond stands in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska. Tidal water begins 3 miles from here. At 999 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Alaska listings. The closest town, Akutan, is 66 miles away. King Cove is 92 miles away, with Dutch Harbor at 101 miles. Nothing else of size sits close, so plan the day around this one. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Shishkof Pond

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Being tidal, the water moves twice a day, and the fishing moves with it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Aleutians East Borough include walleye pollock, Pacific cod, Chinook salmon and Chum salmon. On Shishkof Pond the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 29°F to 51°F. In milder years the surface never sets. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. That is the shape of the year on Shishkof Pond. As the season turns, fish follow food rather than temperature alone.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Walleye come to jigs worked slow near bottom, and to trolled crankbaits along the drops at dusk. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For Shishkof Pond in particular, ask before you travel.