Fishing near Anaktuvuk Pass, AK

Anaktuvuk Pass sits in the broad, treeless valley of the central Brooks Range, within Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. The surrounding lakes and rivers — including the Anaktuvuk River and the headwaters of the John River — hold arctic grayling, lake trout, and arctic char in cold, clear water typical of the North Slope foothills. Ice fishing in spring is a local tradition, and the short open-water season draws float-trip anglers to the John River corridor.