Island Lake Fishing near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

• Overview

  The North Slave Region end of Northwest Territories holds Island Lake. The surface lies 215 metres up. Surface area is around 86 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. You are looking at roughly 11 km of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. Most waters listed here for North Slave Region are larger. Supplies mean a trip to Yellowknife, 15 km off. Behchokǫ̀ follows at 105 km, then Hay River at 207 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Island Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across North Slave Region, recorded fish include Arctic grayling, lake trout and slimy sculpin. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The shape of Island Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 16°C; by January the average is down near -26°C. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late May until roughly late October. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Island Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Bighill Lake sits 3.4 km off and takes the overflow. Rules at Island Lake are worth checking on the day.