Tex Smith Lake Fishing Guide, Copper River Census Area, Alaska

• Overview

  Tex Smith Lake is a Copper River Census Area water, Alaska side. Elevation runs to 2,428 feet. It covers about 15 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by Copper River Census Area standards. The closest town, Valdez, is 66 miles distant. For a city, Anchorage is 133 miles off. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Tex Smith Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Open biodiversity records for Copper River Census Area list Arctic grayling, Chinook salmon, round whitefish, longnose sucker and Dolly Varden. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. At Tex Smith Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 54°F in July and bottom out at -5°F in January. The ice season is long here and the open one short. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid May. Expect the water usable from around mid May until roughly mid October. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Tex Smith Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Parking within half a mile means no long carry with tackle. Tex Smith Lake is mapped as a fishing spot 40 yards from the water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Lost Cabin Lake is 3.7 miles distant. Ask locally about Tex Smith Lake if anything is unclear.