Lou Lake Fishing in North Slave Region, Northwest Territories

• Overview

  North Slave Region, Northwest Territories, is where Lou Lake sits. The surface lies 232 metres up. Surface area runs to roughly 1.05 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The edge covers about 12 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. It is a small entry by North Slave Region standards. Head to Behchokǫ̀, 93 km away, for anything you forgot. Edmonton is the closest city, 1130 km away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Lou Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across North Slave Region include Arctic grayling, lake trout and slimy sculpin. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Lou Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -28°C in January to roughly 16°C in July. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. Break-up comes around late May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice clears near late May and comes back about late October in a typical year. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lou Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Hislop Lake is 8.6 km distant. Check the position at Lou Lake before loading the car.