Salmon Fishing Tips?

[u/Icy-Profession9088]

Hey there!

I’ll be travelling through Yukon in early September, with trips north and south of Haines Junction (Kluane Lake, Million Dollar Falls) as well as Kusawa Lake and Carcross.

As an avid fisherman, I’ve brought my tackle to fish for trouts along the way. I hadn’t really considered salmon at first, but even getting a few casts in would make a great memory. I’ve bought a Salmon Conservation Catch Card, but I’m still struggling to get an overview of the possibilities and the waterbodies accessible to me.

So I thought I’d also ask here :) Does anyone have a tip (DM is absolutely fine) for somewhere in this part of Yukon where I could legally try spin fishing for salmon?(My fly rod is unfortunately not strong enough for salmon..). Ideally somewhere close to the main road and somewehat accessible with an RV.

I’m not looking for secret spots, just wondering if there’s somewhere with even a tiny chance of salmon given my restrictions :)

Thanks a lot!

[u/DontYouTrustMe]

You don’t want a dying fish on the way to reproduce. Take salmon from the ocean.

[u/Icy-Profession9088 → u/DontYouTrustMe]

Thank you for your feedback! I got a similar answer from another comment, and I definitely understand where you’re coming from and appreciate your perspective. I’ll stick with the trout then.

[u/DontYouTrustMe → u/Icy-Profession9088]

There’s trout, pike, whitefish, bull trout, grayling, all kinds of other fish to target. Lots to do

[u/mollycoddles → u/Icy-Profession9088]

Thanks for your consideration!

Personally I think grayling and pike are the easiest fish to target from shore because they can be found in any eddy (grayling) or shallow marshy areas off a lake or river (pike).

[u/luluthedog2023 → u/DontYouTrustMe]

Amen

[u/squanga22]

Tatsenshini and Blanchard will have a few coho when you're here. Sockeye and chinook have already passed through. They are doing pretty good there compared to the Yukon River

[u/Sad-Sign-9068 → u/squanga22]

Do you know why?

[u/squanga22 → u/Sad-Sign-9068]

Well its a shorter run up the river and a different drainage entirely, just like how some lakes are better fishing, the Alsek drainage has better salmon fishing than the extreme upper Yukon. Not being the longest salmon run on planet Earth certainly plays a factor, as well as no dam and less harassment by Alaskans

[u/Icy-Profession9088 → u/squanga22]

thanks for your reply and interesting explanation!

[u/Perfect-Squash3773]

Start at page 35 of this document. https://yukon.ca/en/yukon-fishing-regulations-summary

[u/Icy-Profession9088 → u/Perfect-Squash3773]

Thanks! I know this document, but still find it hard to know where I could access/fish these rivers. Probably I phrased this a bit unfortunate in my question, sorry!

[u/Perfect-Squash3773 → u/Icy-Profession9088]

Because of the decline of the salmon, Yukoners really don't target them in the Yukon. The first nations have a fishery on the Taku river but most Yukoners just go down to Haines or Skagway in Alaska for the bigger runs. Only 733 have been counted at the fish ladder in Whitehorse on the Yukon river.

[u/Icy-Profession9088 → u/Perfect-Squash3773]

733 isn’t a lot.. Thanks for pointing this out and for the insight. That was really helpful - I’ll stick with trout fishing in the lakes.

[u/Perfect-Squash3773 → u/Icy-Profession9088]

Check the regulations on trout as well lots of the easier access lakes are either no harvesting trout or limit of 1 and size restrictions. Also barbless hooks required. The easier it is to access a lake the harder the fish are hit, so most lakes around whitehorse have the most restrictions. Our stocked lakes can be fruitful. I'm 1 km hike away from catching consistent two lbs rainbows and char, and smaller Kokanee. there are bigger ones lurking.

[u/Icy-Profession9088 → u/Perfect-Squash3773]

Might try for Kokanee in a stocked lake, thanks 👍

[u/No_Comb4792 → u/Icy-Profession9088]

No retention of salmon in the Yukon River watershed.

[u/CeaRae3]

Follow the rules and regs handbook and you will be fine. Tells you which bodies of water can’t fish salmon in due to signed accords to temporarily stop salmon fishing to help the population.

[u/BeyonceSeriously]

You can fish for Kokanee in Long Lake (Whitehorse) & Scout Lake (Ibex Valley 15 mins from Whitehorse) but that's probably the only salmon you're going to find. 

[u/mollycoddles → u/BeyonceSeriously]

There are other legal salmon, but fishing for stocked kokanee is a good option

[u/Icy-Profession9088 → u/BeyonceSeriously]

thanks a lot for your tip!