Fishing at Tustumena Lake, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  Tustumena Lake lies within the bounds of Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. Around the bank it is lake country bush. Around 114.6 sq miles of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. There is enough indentation to find shelter on most days. Among the waters listed for Kenai Peninsula Borough, none is wider. The town to know is Cohoe, 20 miles out. Kalifornsky is 22 miles away, with Soldotna at 22 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Tustumena Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Kenai Peninsula Borough, recorded fish include northern pike, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout, Coho salmon and Chinook salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Tustumena Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 56°F, while January sits near 21°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. The water is typically free of ice between late April and mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. It sets the rhythm of the year at Tustumena Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Point Lake is 4.3 miles distant. What applies at Tustumena Lake may have changed since it was mapped.