Fishing Back Lake in South Slave Region, Northwest Territories

• Overview

  Back Lake belongs to South Slave Region, Northwest Territories. This is dry rangeland country. Surface area runs to some 88.40 sq km, so a boat and a plan are both worth having. Yellowknife at 293 km is the nearest place to stop. Edmonton is the closest city, 1164 km away. Nearby alternatives: Kirk Lake out at 16 km, Montours Lake lies 23 km on, Margaret Lake out at 26 km, Outram Lakes lies 26 km on and Taylor Lake out at 32 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Back Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name Arctic grayling, lake trout and Arctic charr. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Read Back Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -29°C in January up to 14°C in July. This is a two-season water: locked, then wide open. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early June. In an average year the thaw lands around early June and the freeze near mid October. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. On Back Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Kirk Lake is 16 km off. Treat Back Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.