Buckham Lake, Northwest Territories: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in North Slave Region, Buckham Lake is a Northwest Territories water. Elevation runs to 195 metres. This is big water, about 31.19 sq km, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. The outline measures near 106 km, so a boat opens up water the bank never reaches. Yellowknife sits 91 km from here and is the nearest stop. Edmonton sits 974 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Buckham Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for North Slave Region cover Arctic grayling, lake trout and slimy sculpin. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The shape of Buckham Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -26°C in January to roughly 16°C in July. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late May. Average temperatures cross freezing around late May in spring and again near late October in autumn. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. That is the shape of the year on Buckham Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Grace Lake, 15 km away. Check the position at Buckham Lake before loading the car.