Fishing Big Rocky Lake in South Slave Region, Northwest Territories

• Overview

  Big Rocky Lake falls in South Slave Region, part of Northwest Territories. It stands 276 metres above sea level. It covers about 140.78 sq km, which means weather matters as much as tactics. The bank is deeply indented, so shelter is easy to find in any wind. It is among the larger waters listed here for South Slave Region. For a base, Baker Lake sits 385 km out. Then Arviat, 451 km, and Rankin Inlet, 524 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Big Rocky Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across South Slave Region: Arctic grayling, lake trout, Arctic charr and slimy sculpin. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Big Rocky Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 12°C, the coldest about -29°C. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid June. On average, mid June opens the water and mid October closes it again. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Big Rocky Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Kamilukuak Lake is 28 km distant. Treat access at Big Rocky Lake as something to verify.