Fishing Upper Checats Lake in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  Upper Checats Lake stands in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska. Land around it is rolling hill. Surface area runs to roughly 848 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. You are looking at roughly 8.1 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. It is among the larger waters listed here for Ketchikan Gateway Borough. You are 34 miles from Ketchikan. Metlakatla is 39 miles and Prince Rupert 82 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Upper Checats Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. 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. Reported across Ketchikan Gateway Borough: pink salmon, Chum salmon, Chinook salmon and Coho salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Upper Checats Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 55°F at the top of summer and 28°F at the bottom of winter. Whether it freezes depends on the year. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Upper Checats Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Lower Checats Lake at 3 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm before you fish Upper Checats Lake.