Jimmy Lake, Northwest Territories: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Jimmy Lake lies in Inuvik Region, Northwest Territories. Everything around it is dry open country. At 10.71 sq km you are fishing a fraction of it whatever you do. The shoreline runs to about 35 km, far more than one trip can cover. Ground here is low by Northwest Territories standards. Inuvik at 31 km is the nearest place to stop. Beyond it, Norman Wells at 472 km and Dawson City at 572 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Jimmy Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Inuvik Region include Arctic charr. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Jimmy Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 14°C in July and bottoms out near -28°C in January. The fishing year opens late and shuts early. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early June. Average temperatures cross freezing around early June in spring and again near early October in autumn. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. On Jimmy Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Noell Lake, 11 km out. Nothing on Jimmy Lake should be assumed from this page alone.