Meander Lake in North Slave Region: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Meander Lake is set in North Slave Region, Northwest Territories. Country round the bank runs to dry rangeland. Surface area runs to some 10.88 sq km, so a boat and a plan are both worth having. The shoreline runs to about 40 km, far more than one trip can cover. Yellowknife lies 115 km from the water. Behchokǫ̀ lies 200 km off, Hay River another 275 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Meander Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. County-wide records name Arctic grayling, lake trout and slimy sculpin. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Read Meander Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -27°C in January to roughly 15°C in July. The fishing year opens late and shuts early. Winter locks it down, and late May brings it back. Average temperatures cross freezing around late May in spring and again near mid October in autumn. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Meander Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Desperation Lake, 14 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing on Meander Lake should be assumed from this page alone.