Fishing at Sunrise Lake, City and Borough of Wrangell, Alaska

• Overview

  Sunrise Lake is a City and Borough of Wrangell water, Alaska side. It sits in open valley. It measures about 55 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Bank access stretches around 1.3 miles in total. On size it sits at the modest end of our City and Borough of Wrangell list. 6 miles away sits Wrangell, the nearest town. For a city, Vancouver is 629 miles off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Sunrise Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across City and Borough of Wrangell, recorded fish include Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, pink salmon and cutthroat trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The near bank of Sunrise Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 54°F, while January sits near 28°F. Seasons here are moderate, and the fishing runs most of the year. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. It sets the rhythm of the year at Sunrise Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The position on Sunrise Lake is worth confirming on the day.