Mary Frances Lake, Northwest Territories: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Mary Frances Lake is a South Slave Region water, Northwest Territories side. This is dry rangeland country. Surface area runs to some 148.60 sq km, so a boat and a plan are both worth having. Its outline wanders a long way for the area it covers, which puts more edge in play. Few waters listed in South Slave Region are bigger. The closest town, Yellowknife, is 424 km away. The nearest city of size is Edmonton, 1163 km away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Mary Frances Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. South Slave Region records list Arctic grayling, lake trout, Arctic charr and slimy sculpin among the fish reported. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Mary Frances Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 13°C; by January the average is down near -30°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Break-up comes around early June, and the run that follows is short and strong. On average, early June opens the water and mid October closes it again. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. That shapes the year on Mary Frances Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Island Lake sits 28 km off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Mary Frances Lake as something to verify.