Slikok Lake in Kenai Peninsula Borough: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Kenai Peninsula Borough in Alaska is where Slikok Lake sits. It sits at 279 feet above sea level. It measures about 117 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The full circuit measures close to 1.7 miles on foot. Nearest town is Soldotna, 4.3 miles off. It is 67 miles to Anchorage, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Slikok Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Kenai Peninsula Borough, recorded fish include northern pike, sockeye salmon and rainbow trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Take Slikok Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 14°F in January up to 56°F in July. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at early November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Slikok Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Nordic Lake at 1.9 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Slikok Lake for certain.