Fishing at Ernie Lake, South Slave Region, Northwest Territories

• Overview

  The South Slave Region end of Northwest Territories holds Ernie Lake. Land around it is sage and rock. Around 21.03 sq km of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. The perimeter is close to 42 km, and wind can be flat in one arm and rough in the next. The town to know is Baker Lake, 331 km out. After that come Arviat at 491 km and Rankin Inlet at 519 km. Within easy reach: Dubawnt Lake out at 46 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Ernie Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Open biodiversity records for South Slave Region list 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. Read Ernie Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 13°C and January near -30°C on the long-run figures. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid June. Ice clears near mid June and comes back about early October in a typical year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan any trip to Ernie Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Dubawnt Lake is 46 km off. Nothing here settles the position at Ernie Lake for certain.