Fishing at Caribou Lake, Inuvik Region, Northwest Territories

• Overview

  Caribou Lake lies in Inuvik Region, in Northwest Territories. It sits at 207 metres above sea level. At 60.65 sq km you are fishing a fraction of it whatever you do. The edge bends in and out, so one side is usually calmer than the other. Few waters listed in Inuvik Region are bigger. Nearest place of any size is Inuvik, 55 km away. It is 1100 km to Anchorage, the nearest city. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Caribou Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Inuvik Region, recorded fish include Arctic charr. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Caribou Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 13°C and January about -27°C. Winter runs most of the calendar, and everything worth doing happens in the gap. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early June. Open water usually runs from early June until about early October. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Caribou Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is North Caribou Lake, 14 km out. Confirm access to Caribou Lake locally before you travel.