Becharof Lake
The largest lake in the National Wildlife Refuge System, on the Alaska Peninsula in Becharof National Wildlife Refuge and drained by the Egegik River. It is remote and fly-in only, and known for a huge sockeye salmon run with Arctic char, lake trout, rainbow trout and grayling feeding on it.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Arctic Char
Follow the salmon. Char and Dolly Varden feed behind spawning sockeye; beads and flesh flies work well.
Lake Trout
Look near the outlet to the Egegik River and along rocky drop-offs. Spoons and big streamers.
Rainbow Trout
Best in the lake's outlet area and tributary mouths in late summer and fall when salmon are spawning.
Arctic Grayling
Small flies and spinners in clear inlet streams. Catch and release only at the outlet.
Sockeye Salmon
Huge run enters the lake in summer. Fish moving schools near stream mouths.
When they bite
Month-by-month activity for each target species.
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arctic Char | ||||||||||||
| Lake Trout | ||||||||||||
| Rainbow Trout | ||||||||||||
| Arctic Grayling |
Boat launches
1 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- More public accessPublicFly-in only by charter aircraft from King Salmon. See the USFWS Becharof Refuge website for access detailsDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.
| Species | Min size | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout (Jun 8-Oct 31) Egegik River drainage, including Becharof Lake; 1 in possession | See Alaska rules book ↗ | 1 / day |
| Rainbow Trout (Nov 1-Jun 7) 5 in possession | Only 1 may be 20 in or longer | 5 / day |
| Arctic Grayling (outlet) Becharof Lake outlet, including lake waters within 1/4 mile of the outlet | Catch & release | 0 |
Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Alaska Department of Fish and Game ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
No shops listed yet for this lake. Use the search link below.
Search more bait shops near Becharof Lake ↗Local tips
- There are no roads or ramps. Book a charter floatplane out of King Salmon and plan for weather delays.
- This is brown bear country. Carry bear spray and keep fish and food away from camp.
- Rainbow trout limits here are tighter than the Bristol Bay default from June 8 to October 31, so check the Egegik River drainage rules.
Angler reports
Water temp, what's biting, and anything else other anglers should know about Becharof Lake.