Upper Tangle Lake in Copper River Census Area: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Upper Tangle Lake in the Copper River Census Area part of Alaska. Elevation runs to 2,864 feet. At some 552 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Shoreline length is close to 7.7 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. Few waters listed in Copper River Census Area are bigger. Some 66 miles away sits Deltana, the nearest settlement. Anchorage is the closest city, 175 miles away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Upper Tangle Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Copper River Census Area cover Arctic grayling, Chinook salmon and round whitefish. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Treat Upper Tangle Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 54°F; by January the average is down near -3°F. Cold dominates the year and the fishing works around it. Count the season from break-up, usually late May. On average, late May opens the water and mid October closes it again. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Upper Tangle Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. 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. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Round Tangle Lake, 4.5 miles out. Check the position at Upper Tangle Lake before loading the car.