Red Shirt Lake

Boat Ramps: 0
Access Points: 0
Species: 8

Red Shirt Lake is a 479-hectare freshwater lake located in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, approximately 48 kilometers northwest of Anchorage. Situated at an elevation of 37 meters in the southern Susitna River Valley, this lake has a maximum depth of 15.2 meters and a mean depth of 5.3 meters. The lake drains into Fish Creek, which flows approximately 20 kilometers to the Susitna River. Due to its proximity to Anchorage and relatively accessible road access, Red Shirt Lake is popular for recreational activities and has many cabins in the area. The lake is part of the Nancy Lake State Recreation Area system and offers a 6.2-mile out-and-back trail experience through boreal forest terrain.

Alaska licenses and regulations4 to check before you go

Species & education

Learn what type of fish are at Red Shirt Lake and what's needed to catch them.

Find which waters have the species you want to catch

Rainbow Trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Northern Pike

Esox lucius

Arctic Grayling

Thymallus arcticus

Coho Salmon

Oncorhynchus kisutch

Dolly Varden

Salvelinus malma

Lake Trout

Salvelinus namaycush

Pink Salmon

Oncorhynchus gorbuscha

Sockeye Salmon

Oncorhynchus nerka

Fishing spots, boat ramps & amenities

Learn how to get on Red Shirt Lake. Uncover great fishing access points, boat ramps, and all the facilities you need for an unforgettable day on the water. Some locations shown may border or include private property. Always check property boundaries and applicable regulations before visiting. onWater's Public & Private Land layer can help you plan your access with confidence.

The shoreline accessible from the trail endpoint provides the primary fishing opportunities. Anglers should listen for loons, which frequent the area and can indicate productive fishing zones. The lake's varied depth structure, with areas ranging from shallow zones to the maximum depth of 15.2 meters, offers different fishing opportunities throughout the water body.

Know where you can legally fish on Red Shirt Lake

See public and private land boundaries along the water, turn on private parcels with owner details to know where permission is required, and find land-trust parcels that offer permitted fishing access.

Alaska licenses and regulations

Alaska Boating Regulations

When using any type of watercraft to access a body of water, it is important to follow all federal, state, and local rules and regulations. These rules and regulations include boat permitting and licensing, invasive species inspections and stamps, life jacket and PFD rules, motor size and horsepower restrictions, noise limitations, restrictions on personal watercraft, and many more. Visit the web link below for the most current rules and regulations for this body of water.

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Alaska Fishing License

All residents age 18 or older and nonresidents age 16 or older must purchase and possess a sport fishing license to participate in Alaska sport and personal use fisheries. In addition, a king salmon stamp is required to fish for king salmon (except king salmon in stocked lakes). These laws apply in both fresh and marine waters.

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Alaska Fishing Regulations

This state has a variety of species and regulations, including potential floating and/or watercraft restrictions. Because this state is specially managed for species, seasons, angling methods, and watercraft, it is strongly encouraged you check all federal, state, and local regulations before fishing. Visit any of the links below, inquire locally, or contact a local fly shop to learn current regulations and restrictions.

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Alaska Stream Access Laws

The Alaska Constitution and state statutes protect the public's right to use navigable or public waters. Under Alaska law, ownership of uplands adjacent to navigable or public water does not grant an exclusive right to use the water or to control public use of the water, even if the title includes the submerged land

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Take Red Shirt Lake with you

The onWater Fish app keeps this water's access points, species and conditions in your pocket, with the tools you use once you're there.

Use the map without signal
Download the map around Red Shirt Lake to use it offline when coverage drops.
Log your catches here
Keep a private fishing journal for Red Shirt Lake to find where and when fish are biting for you.
HD depth charts from Garmin
Find drop offs, ledges, channels, points and shallow flats with Garmin depth charts in the app.