Fishing South Lime Lake in Bethel Census Area, Alaska

• Overview

  South Lime Lake lies within the bounds of Bethel Census Area, Alaska. The ground around here is taiga. At some 661 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. You are looking at roughly 5.4 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. Some 143 miles away sits Nikiski, the nearest settlement. It is 180 miles to Anchorage, the nearest city. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on South Lime Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Reported across Bethel Census Area: sockeye salmon, Chum salmon, Coho salmon and pink salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. South Lime Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 2°F and July at about 58°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Everything is compressed into the middle of the year. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. From about early May to around late October, expect open water on the long-run figures. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. That is the shape of the year on South Lime Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, East Lime Lake is 3 miles off. Signs at South Lime Lake carry more weight than any list.