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Best arctic char lakes in Alaska

40 Alaska waters hold arctic char, 24 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Cold-water beauty that thrives where trout sulk — shallow at ice-out, deep all summer, electric through the ice.

1. Iliamna Lake — 988 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Lake TroutWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
2. Becharof Lake — 594 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Lake TroutWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
3. Tustumena Lake — 942 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout, Arctic CharWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
4. Kenai Lake — 569 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Lake Whitefish, Arctic GraylingWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
5. Skilak Lake — 633 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout, Arctic CharWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
6. Upper Ugashik Lake — 492 ft max · Coho Salmon, Arctic Grayling, Arctic CharWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
7. Lower Ugashik Lake — 394 ft max · Arctic Grayling, Arctic CharWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
8. Klutina Lake — 295 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Arctic CharWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
9. Nunavaugaluk Lake — 525 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Arctic CharWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
10. Eklutna Lake — 189 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Arctic CharWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Hidden Lake — 148 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout, Arctic CharWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Crescent Lake — 100 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout, Arctic GraylingWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
13. Cooper Lake — 476 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Arctic CharWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
14. Upper Trail Lake — 146 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout, Arctic CharWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
15. Big Lake — 89 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Burbot, Arctic CharWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
16. Tonsina Lake — 295 ft max · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout, BurbotWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
17. Stephan Lake — 91 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Lake TroutWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
18. Pepper Lake — 42 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Arctic CharWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
19. Swan Lake — 44 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Arctic CharWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
20. Ptarmigan Lake — 246 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Arctic CharWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
21. Engineer Lake — 17 ft max · survey depth data · Coho Salmon, Arctic CharWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
22. Upper Russian Lake — 260 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Arctic CharWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
23. Clunie Lake — 107 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Lake TroutWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
24. Paddle Lake — 41 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Arctic CharWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
25. Mirror Lake — 33 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Arctic CharWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 15 more Alaska waters holding arctic char.

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When to fish arctic char in Alaska

• Spring 4–15 ft — The weeks after ice-out are the year's best shallow shot — small spoons along the drop.
• Summer 20–60 ft — Char follow the cold down — vertical jig small spoons and tubes over the deepest basins.
• Fall 8–30 ft — Fall brings them back to gravel shoals in spawning color — the prettiest fish of the year.
• Winter 10–40 ft — A premier ice target — char roam under the ice and hit small jigging spoons hard.

Also in Alaska: best northern pike lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best chinook salmon lakes · best coho salmon lakes · best lake trout lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best burbot lakes · best arctic grayling lakes

Arctic Char elsewhere: Sweden · Québec · United Kingdom · Norway · Maine