Yukon Jack Winter Series – Hwy 125 Marina

Every Saturday from December through March, the Hwy 125 Marina southwest of Whitehorse, Yukon, hosts the Yukon Jack Winter Series, a weekly multi-species ice fishing tournament that runs through the full depth of a northern winter. The format is deliberately accessible: participants of any skill level can register for each individual Saturday event rather than committing to a season-long entry, and the competitive structure accommodates solo anglers and small groups equally. Local sponsor North Country Outdoor Adventures provides equipment rental and guided support, meaning first-time ice fishers can show up without gear and leave with a competitive result.

The Setting and the Species

The Hwy 125 Marina sits on the shores of Schwatka Lake, the reservoir created by the Whitehorse Dam on the Yukon River, a few kilometres from downtown Whitehorse. The surrounding Yukon River watershed contains one of the most intact cold-water fish ecosystems remaining in North America. Target species in the Yukon Jack series include lake trout, northern pike, and whitefish, the characteristic multi-species combination of interior Yukon waterways. The Yukon’s winter landscape at competition time delivers long blue twilight hours, frequent aurora borealis displays, and a silence across the snow that has no urban equivalent.

Quick Tips: The Hwy 125 Marina provides heated on-site facilities including covered shelter and concession services throughout the tournament day. Participants arriving without their own ice fishing equipment should contact North Country Outdoor Adventures ahead of their intended Saturday to confirm rental availability. Whitehorse has a well-developed outdoor retail sector for anglers who want to purchase their own gear before heading to the ice.

Family Considerations and What Surrounds the Event

Families with children fare well at the Yukon Jack Series because the weekly format means you can sample one Saturday before committing to another, and the marina’s heated amenities reduce the cold-exposure barrier that would otherwise limit the age range of comfortable participants. Younger children who have fished before will find the tournament atmosphere engaging rather than overwhelming, and the shorter January days in Whitehorse mean that the morning competition window at 8 AM aligns well with a full afternoon visit to town after weigh-in. The MacBride Museum of Yukon History on Wood Street in Whitehorse is one of the territory’s most genuinely interesting family venues, covering the Klondike Gold Rush, Yukon First Nations culture, and the natural history of the north in a compact and well-curated format. Miles Canyon, a short drive from the marina along the Yukon River, offers winter walking trails through dramatic basalt walls above the frozen river that repay the short detour regardless of the fishing result. For travelers extending the trip beyond a single Saturday, Lake.com lists northern Canada rental accommodations that serve as a base for Whitehorse’s winter recreation calendar throughout the series.