Upper Malina Lake, Alaska: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Alaska, Upper Malina Lake belongs to Kodiak Island Borough. It lies 279 feet above sea level. This is sizeable water at about 289 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. The outline measures near 3.5 miles, so local knowledge counts. The closest town, Kodiak Station, is 32 miles distant. Anchorage sits 239 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Upper Malina Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Open biodiversity records for Kodiak Island Borough list Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Chum salmon and Coho salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Read Upper Malina Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 28°F in February to roughly 53°F in August. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. That is the shape of the year on Upper Malina Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Lower Malina Lake sits 1.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Upper Malina Lake.