Woman Lake in Matanuska-Susitna Borough: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Matanuska-Susitna Borough in Alaska is where Woman Lake sits. The bank is 305 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 6 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Matanuska-Susitna Borough standards. Some 7.5 miles away sits Susitna North, the nearest settlement. For a city, Anchorage is 62 miles off. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Woman Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Across Matanuska-Susitna Borough, recorded fish include rainbow trout, Coho salmon, sockeye salmon, longnose sucker and Arctic charr. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of Woman Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 59°F and January about 9°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly late October. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Time your trip to Woman Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. A picnic spot sits half a mile from the bank. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, North Friend Lake is 2.1 miles off. Ask locally about Woman Lake if anything is unclear.