Alaska Fishing Lakes
Lake-by-lake species, seasonal bite, boat access, and regulations for the biggest fishing lakes in Alaska.
Becharof Lake
Iliamna Lake
Skilak Lake
More Alaska lakes
Tap a lake to open its guide: species, boat launches, bait shops, and size and creel limits.
Iliamna LakeLake and Peninsula Borough
Iliamna Lake
Iliamna Lake is Alaska's largest lake, about 77 miles long and covering roughly 1,000 square miles in the Bristol Bay region. It is known for large wild rainbow trout and as the nursery for one of the world's largest sockeye salmon runs.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Rainbow Trout
August and September are prime for fat rainbows, some over 28 inches.
Sockeye Salmon
Huge sockeye runs pass through the lake and its rivers each summer.
Arctic Char
Cold, deep water and river mouths. Flies and small spoons.
Lake Trout
Deep, cold water. Downriggers or vertical jigging.
Northern Pike
Weed edges and bays. Spoons, spinnerbaits and tip-ups through the ice.
Boat launches
1 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- More public accessPublicSee Alaska Fish & Game or the lake manager's website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗
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 Iliamna Lake: Jun 8-Oct 31; Nov 1-Apr 9 is 5/day, only 1 may be 20 in+; closed Apr 10-Jun 7 near streams; subject to emergency orders | See Alaska rules book ↗ | 1 / day |
| Arctic Char Bristol Bay area general (Dolly Varden/char), Jun 8-Oct 31; 10/day Nov 1-Jun 7 | See Alaska rules book ↗ | 3 / day |
| Lake Trout Bristol Bay area general | See Alaska rules book ↗ | 4 / day |
| Northern Pike Bristol Bay area general; only 1 may be 30 in or longer | See Alaska rules book ↗ | 5 / day |
| Sockeye Salmon Bristol Bay area general, combined with chum, coho, pink; subject to emergency orders | See Alaska rules book ↗ | 5 / day |
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 Iliamna Lake ↗Local tips
- Plan for fly-in access or a lodge, since the lake is not on the road system.
- Fish river mouths such as the Newhalen and the outlet into the Kvichak River, where trout follow the salmon.
- The Kvichak River is catch and release for trout, so check the Bristol Bay rules before keeping fish.
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Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.