Upper Ketchikan Lake Fishing Guide, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska

• Overview

  Upper Ketchikan Lake is one of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough waters in Alaska. Salt water lies 3.7 miles off. The water covers around 326 acres, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. Supplies mean a trip to Ketchikan, 3.8 miles off. Metlakatla is 18 miles and Craig 60 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Upper Ketchikan Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Across Ketchikan Gateway Borough, recorded fish include pink salmon, Chum salmon, Chinook salmon and Coho salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Upper Ketchikan Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 32°F in January up to 56°F in August. Fishing continues through most of the calendar, with quiet spells rather than closures. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Plan around that when you fish Upper Ketchikan Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Lower Ketchikan Lake at 1.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing on Upper Ketchikan Lake should be assumed from this page alone.