Wilderness Fishing Yukon

Overview

Wilderness Fishing Yukon is based in Whitehorse and operates a group of private fishing camps spread across nine lakes in the Yukon River basin, all reached by float plane. Independent listings describe it as a service-oriented business offering a choice of nine fly-in-only fishing lakes, with each lake having one clean, well-maintained camp on it, and the outfitter's own site similarly describes itself as a leader in lake fishing vacations with 9 private fishing camps near Whitehorse, Yukon. Named camps include Coghlan Lake, Teehnah Lake, Ken Lake, Claire Lake, Drury Lake, Mandanna Lake, Lyn Lake and Frank Lake, and the company states that its fishing camps are located within a 150 mile radius of Whitehorse.

The operation is built around exclusivity: a majority of the camps are the only accommodation on their lake, and the company does not mix parties at the same fishing camp at the same time, so a small group booked into a larger camp still has the whole camp to itself. Camps range from a rustic three-bedroom log lodge on Coghlan Lake to a cabin sleeping up to eight on Mandanna Lake, and overall the camps accommodate parties from 2 to 12 individuals.

Guests fly commercially into Whitehorse and are met by a company guide, who escorts them to town for groceries and supplies before the float-plane transfer to camp; a caretaker-handyman is based at some camps, such as Coghlan Lake, to maintain equipment and orient newcomers rather than to guide clients full time.

Highlights

The Fishing

The camps target northern pike, Arctic grayling, lake trout, lake whitefish and burbot, with anglers able to fish by fly rod or with spin/tackle gear. The company's own materials describe abundant populations of these species in its nine pristine Yukon lakes, and individual lake pages highlight specialties, such as Mandanna Lake for pike and lake trout up to 35 pounds and Drury Lake for Arctic grayling.

Fishing is largely self-directed rather than heavily guided: boats, motors, and basic camp gear such as landing nets are supplied, while anglers typically fish from small boats on their own or in their party, working shoals, drop-offs, and trolling with flies or lures depending on the lake and season.

Accommodations

Camp buildings vary from lake to lake but generally consist of log or framed cabins with kitchen, dining, and living areas; the Coghlan Lake lodge, for example, is a three-bedroom log house with an indoor bathroom, wood sauna, and a caretaker-handyman who maintains utilities and equipment without guiding full time. Boats with outboard motors, dish and bath towels, and other cabin amenities are provided, but guests are responsible for bringing their own sleeping bags, personal gear, and groceries, which are purchased in Whitehorse before the flight to camp.

Fish Species

Getting There

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