Most tourists visit Alaska in the summer, but there are also many ways to experience its pristine beauty during the winter. Ice fishing is one outdoor activity you can enjoy during the off-season with the proper planning and preparation. Many of Alaska's lakes are stocked with trout and others have wild fish. The most accessible areas you can ice fish are Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley, Kenai Peninsula, and Fairbanks.
Alaskan Ice Fishing
Ice fishing is gaining popularity in Alaska because it is family-oriented and a way to get outside and be active during the long winter months between approximately November and March. If you have experience you can try it on your own, or in certain locations you can go with a guide company. Trout is the most common catch, as many lakes are stocked with these fish during the summer and have plenty left over in the winter.
Safety and Preparedness
Safety and preparedness is essential when ice fishing. There should be 6 or more inches of clear ice for your safety on a frozen lake. The Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau provides information about the equipment and clothing you need. For equipment, you should bring gas-powered or hand-cranked augers, a strainer, or ice skimmer to keep the hole clear of ice; fishing pole and 10-pound-test line; sinkers and small jigs; and bait. You should dress in layers; the clothing closest to your skin should wick away moisture, and outer layers should repel wind and water. Also wear wool socks and warm boots. In some locations you can rent ice huts, for protection from the elements, from the Department of Natural Resources. The best time to fish is in late winter, February to March, when the ice is thick, temperatures are warmer, and there is more daylight. Everyone who fishes in Alaska needs to obtain a license.
Anchorage
Anchorage is a great place to fish because the weather is milder than most of the rest of the state due to the location's proximity to Cook Inlet. The Anchorage area contains 28 lakes stocked with trout. You can easily access to fishing within city limits at places such as Beach, Campbell Point at Kincaid Park, Clunie, Delong, Jewel, Mirror and Sand lakes. The lakes are generally frozen and safe to fish on between mid-November and early December. An event of interest is the Ice Fishing Jamboree hosted by the Swim Like A Fish Foundation at Jewel Lake. The event is geared toward underprivileged children who normally would not have this recreational opportunity.
Mat-Su Valley
Just north of Anchorage, there is plentiful ice fishing near Palmer and Wasilla. The region has 80 stocked lakes and 31 wild ones. You can catch rainbow trout 10 to 14 inches long and sometimes as large as 30 inches. With experience you can venture out on your own, or you can join a guide service like Fishtale River Guides. On a four-hour outing, this particular guide will provide equipment and will drill and bait for you, or you can use the equipment to try it yourself. Some of the best fishing of the region is in Kepler Bradley Lakes State Recreation Area near Palmer.
Kenai Peninsula
The Kenai Peninsula is well-known for salmon fishing during the summer months, but it also provides ample opportunity for ice fishing in the winter. The Department of Fish and Games stocks 28 lakes with trout in the region. You can enjoy more seclusion in this area than the urban center of Anchorage, particularly in the winter months, but you can easily access it by road. One area attraction is the annual Soldotna Ice Fishing derby, held every February.
Fairbanks
Located in Alaska's interior, Fairbanks has much harsher winters than Southcentral Alaska. Ice fishermen are nonetheless drawn out, particularly later in the season when the days are longer and temperatures are less severe. If you are visiting Alaska, Fairbanks is a prime location to view the northern lights. There are 47 area lakes stocked with trout. Due to the potential for more extreme conditions, you can rent ice huts from the Department of Natural Resources at the Birch Lake State Recreation Site.
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