Fishing at Square Lake, North Slope Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  In Alaska, Square Lake belongs to North Slope Borough. The surface lies 476 feet up. At 381 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. The edge runs 2.7 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Prudhoe Bay is the closest place, 82 miles off. The big place round here is Anchorage, 568 miles distant. Near neighbours include: Shirukak Lake at 21 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Square Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in North Slope Borough include bering cisco and Arctic cisco. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Anyone new to Square Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 52°F and January at -16°F. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid June. The open-water window runs from around mid June to about early October in an average year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. The season on Square Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Shirukak Lake, 21 miles away. What applies at Square Lake may have changed since it was mapped.