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748-acre lake near Noatak Preserve. A deep tundra lake in the upper Noatak country of Gates of the Arctic, holding lake trout and Arctic grayling in classic far-north cold water. The lake tops out around 115 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
On the chart, Matcharak Lake draws 752 acres inside 6.6 miles of shoreline. Index 1.7 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 29% of this chart. Tip to tip the water measures near 2.3 mi with a 1.1-mi widest point. The water lies in Northwest Arctic Borough. The nearest mapped water is Skeeter Lake, 11 mi to the east.
Start shallow in spring: lake trout sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 35 to 115 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 80 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 90 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 35 to 115 ft | dawn | Deep basin (90 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (45 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Start shallow in spring: arctic grayling sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 9 ft range, good in spring. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a dry fly (parachute adams, elk hair caddis) or a small inline spinner until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | 1/16 oz spinner (silver), Small dry fly (Adams, Griffith's) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Dry fly (parachute Adams, elk hair caddis), Small inline spinner |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Break off the point (45 ft) | Small spoon, Beadhead nymph under indicator |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (90 ft) | Tungsten jig + waxworm, Small jigging spoon (gold) |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Matcharak Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 90 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Alaska waters are set by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game — and special regulations can apply to Matcharak Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alaska fishing regulations →
Matcharak Lake is about 115 ft (35 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target lake trout, arctic grayling on Matcharak Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 90 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For lake trout, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Matcharak Lake is regulated by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Check the official Alaska regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Skeeter Lake 11 mi · Kipmik Lake 14 mi · Lake Gigi 26 mi · Byers Lake 388 mi · Chelatna Lake 389 mi · Stephan Lake 407 mi · Hewitt Lake 421 mi · Shell Lake 422 mi · Summit Lake 442 mi · Paxson Lake 452 mi · Nancy Lake 456 mi · Red Shirt Lake 459 mi
See how Matcharak Lake stacks up: best lake trout lakes in Alaska · best arctic grayling lakes in Alaska
Browse all Alaska fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.