Fishing Leland Lakes in South Slave Region, Northwest Territories

• Overview

  Leland Lakes is one of the South Slave Region listings for Northwest Territories. The water sits 297 metres up. Around 36.64 sq km of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. With about 163 km of shoreline, local advice saves a lot of walking. Nearest place of any size is Fort Smith, 50 km away. Hay River follows at 279 km, then Yellowknife at 328 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Leland Lakes

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public occurrence data for South Slave Region names 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. At Leland Lakes light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -25°C in January up to 16°C in July. This is a two-season water: locked, then wide open. After mid May the shallows warm and the fish move up. The open-water window runs from around mid May to about late October in an average year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Leland Lakes runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Tulip Lake at 14 km is the nearest alternative. For Leland Lakes in particular, ask before you travel.