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Best chum salmon lakes in Alaska

10 Alaska waters list chum salmon (official records or labelled estimates), 9 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. A powerful schooling Pacific salmon that uses coastal channels and bay shorelines while returning to streams and hatchery terminal areas.

1. Iliamna Lake — 988 ft · Approximated contours · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Lake TroutWhy #1: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 2 public access sites
2. Silver Bay — 400 ft · Survey depth data · 81% measured · real survey depth contours · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum SalmonWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Ketchikan Harbor Anchorage Area — 162 ft · Survey depth data · 99% measured · real survey depth contours · Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum Salmon, Pacific HalibutWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
4. Hoonah Harbor — 275 ft · Survey depth data · 82% measured · real survey depth contours · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum SalmonWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
5. Ryus Bay — 92 ft · Survey depth data · 70% measured · real survey depth contours · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum SalmonWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
6. Halibut Cove Lagoon — 223 ft · Survey depth data · 97% measured · real survey depth contours · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum SalmonWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
7. Wrangell Harbor — 43 ft · Survey depth data · 97% measured · real survey depth contours · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum SalmonWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
8. Bald Headed Cove — 44 ft · Survey depth data · 100% measured · real survey depth contours · Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum Salmon, Pacific HalibutWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Clam Cove — 38 ft · Survey depth data · 100% measured · real survey depth contours · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum SalmonWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Seal Cove — 51 ft · Survey depth data · 54% measured · real survey depth contours · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum SalmonWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

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When to fish chum salmon in Alaska

• Spring 10–70 ft — A low-confidence pre-return search; use current reports and visible forage.
• Summer 4–70 ft — Work current lanes, rock-lined travel structure and freshwater approaches where returning schools are visibly traveling; timing is stock-specific.
• Fall 3–60 ft — Focus on shoreline return corridors beside rock and current, not featureless deep water; handle spawning fish carefully.
• Winter 25–100 ft — Not a dependable winter bay target; rely on current local reporting and a confirmed legal fishery.

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 · best arctic char lakes · best pink salmon lakes · best pacific halibut lakes · best lingcod lakes · best black rockfish lakes

Chum Salmon elsewhere: British Columbia · Washington