Headed to the Yukon in less then a month - need advice

[rod84]

Well I have less then a month until my trip to the Yukon and I am looking for advice on lures for river and lake fish.

I will be starting out in Whitehorse but I am willing to travel, the plan is to camp for 7 of the 10 days.

I have an ultra-lite setup that I plan to use for creeks and rivers, a 7' medium action setup for lake fishing from a boat and a 9' medium action rod that could be used for long casts from shore, I also have a trolling rig with lead core line that I was told to bring for lake trout.

I am curious of what lures to bring and what to leave.
I know the Yukon is almost entirely trout fishing, there are pike but I know anything I use for Lakers would also catch pike.

Is there anything you would suggest for grayling, bull trout, char, and any of the other fish not native to Ontario.

Thanks guys

[cprince]

You HAVE TO read scuro's report further down on this same page!!

BRING A CAMERA!!!

Craig

[rod84]

Ya, I saw that one, looks like he used spoons with high visibility colours.

My plan at this point is inline spinners from #00 through #5 and spoons to fit this range as well. I know I have some flys as well that we have used with light spinning gear drifting.

I think I am on the right track, anyone have any "you need to take a few of these with you" lures?

[fishin mission]

Rod:

Your on the right track when i was in the yukon fishing i used in-line spinners,spoons,rapalas,etc when i fished for dolly vardens
if you go near muncho lake make sure you fish there awesome body of water and game wardens are lonely there lol so they are very helpful and will tell you where and how......good luck your about to experience fishing at it's best.... DANO

[NMG]

Do you have a fly rod? If so, a floating line with any type of dry fly is all you'll need for Grayling. You can fish the Yukon River right in downtown Whitehorse all the way up to the Dam and you'll catch loads of fish.

As for Lakers, I'd stick to spoons and heavier crank baits. Basically stuff you can cast a long ways. If you are fishing from shore you'll want to be able to cover allot of water with your casting. Len Thompson spoons, Crocodiles, Kitimats and stuff like that. Big sinking Rapalas will also work just fine. There are spots you can fish for Lakers from shore at Tagish Lake, including Tagish Bridge. If you have access to a boat your chances of success will increase dramatically. Depending on what's running, you could also head down to Haines in Alaska and fish Dollies or Salmon.

Honestly, there is more water up there than you'll be able to cover. I'd suggest heading to Sports North in Whitehorse for some info. They will be able to help you out and give you some pointers. Oh and don't forget bear spray if you are camping or heading out on hikes. It's Grizz country up there.

If you have a fly rod, then also checkout the Kathleen River in Kluane Park. Gorgeous piece of water for Grayling, Bows and even the odd Laker. You can also get Pike in the marshy spots of the Yukon River near Whitehorse, but the better spots will require a boat. Ask around locally for some day trip guides as well. I know there are guiding outfits on Atlin Lake as well, but it's a bit of a drive from Whitehorse. HUGE Lakers there though and the lake is spectacular.

[scuro]

http://www.bcfishingreports.com/forums/ ... port-yozwa

...or read about the first time we went. You will want lures for graylings, they have small mouths. Use the smallest spoons and inline spinners or flies. If it is DIY from shore then pike type lures for both Pike and Lakers. The pike up here get as big as any found in Ontario and the lakers...well by no means did I come close to the camp record. (see first fish in report) For casting to lakers I would go for heavy spoons, that is if the season isn't too far advanced. Bring a thermometer...water in the 40s for Lakers. Do not be afraid to cast bigger spoons or troll larger stuff as you would for pike. Swim baits did well, as did big spoons and large kiwi fish. Spinners not so much on the larger fish.

The bigger water up there is very dangerous so if you are boating take extra caution. The winds come in strong and suddenly off the mountains and rare is the lake where you wouldn't freeze to death if you went in the drink. Make sure you get to the waters that run off the mountains of Kulane national park. You could probably find a guide in Haines Junction....that will be a day of fishing you won't forget.

Arctic char are stocked in the lower Yukon, you have to go way up to the north end to find them naturally. There is rainbow, salmon and a few other fish that are more rare and harder to get to. There are also fishing restrictions you should be aware of, go to the government site.

[rod84]

Thanks for the info!

I spoke with my buddy last night, he said he sold the boat so I should just leave the lead core at home.

He said that shore fishing is the safest and in most cases is very productive, he has a plan for where we should go but I know I want to do some driving, there is a lot of light at this time of year and I need very little sleep to function which means more time fishing .

[scuro]

If you have a buddy there I would lean on him heavy. May be do a one day charter on a BIG lake but otherwise do and go where he states you should go. There are not too many places on this earth where you have a good shot at trophy Lakers midday. That might be worth the extra cash...especially when you have the mountains behind you.

The Yukon has it's own rhythm and while things are the same in some regards, at the same time they are very different. We fished what was a perfect shallow pike lake, guided and it was one of the hardest days of pike fishing I have had. Yet they pull trophies from that lake. For the day we caught 6 and none of them were big. The best fishing time this time of year is supposed to be around 7- 11pm. The night sky is still light at midnight and will be light again at 3 in the morning. This will mess with your head in an enchanting way and once "bitten" you will try to get back in the following years.

[NMG]

The night sky is still light at midnight and will be light again at 3 in the morning. This will mess with your head in an enchanting way and once "bitten" you will try to get back in the following years.

Nothing in this entire thread could be more true than this statement. The Yukon does have a different "feel" to it and if you are lucky enough to experience it, you'll know it. It's almost a magical spot in some higher way. Just find a nice spot to take a break, sit back and take it in. You could get lost for hours.

Also be sure to check out the many great restaurants in Whitehorse. The Klondike Rib and BBQ for great Halibut fish and chips, Georgio's for Italian and the G&P for pizza. Oh man, all this talk of the Yukon makes me want to book a flight . . .

[scuro]

One last thought for you...overly reflective lazer finished lures didn't do as well. I always feel comfortable with classic spoons and yellow in "way north" lakes and that colour produced. The light is different in the Yukon. It is not as intense as it is here and it is brightest from say 2 till 6 pm at this time of year. I brought a whole assortment of spoon choices and I caught the trophy laker on a spoon that echoed the colours of the landscape. That was an 8 inch spoon with some purple and yellow and slightly reflective properties to it. Was that coincidence? Who knows. The water is gin clear in many lakes and one guy was killing on swimbaits. Be ready for murky water also, if the wind picks up a number of the lakes will kick up sediment.

[Pints]

Small (1/2" to 1 inch max) lures for grayling. Half-wave and red and whites were my favourites when I lived there in the early 60's. Any fly that resembles the local bugs will work. Black ant and mosquito patterns were favourites. Same colours just bigger sizes for lakers and pike, size to be determined by size of fish in the area. Fly rod for grayling is a great way to fish for them, but any rod will do. Just about any stream flowing into a lake will have graying hanging around the mouth of the creek. If you get the chance, try Lewes Lake, scenery alone is worth it. Lakers and grayling there. Fish Lake not far from Whitehorse was my dad's and mine favourite spot for a quick shore fish. Chadburn lakes where stocked with rainbows when we were there. Further north, Fox Lake, used to be a camp ground there, with a small creek running into the lake. Caught grayling there all day long. Nothing like fresh grayling for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Good luck. It is beautiful country and the Yukon has a way of getting into your blood stream.