Fishing at Octopus Lake, North Slave Region, Northwest Territories

• Overview

  Northwest Territories holds Octopus Lake, in North Slave Region. The country round it is dry open country from end to end. With some 29 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The bank runs about 3.8 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in North Slave Region. The closest town, Yellowknife, is 9.7 km distant. Behchokǫ̀ is 94 km and Hay River 188 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Octopus Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across North Slave Region include Arctic grayling, lake trout and slimy sculpin. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The shape of Octopus Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 16°C and January at -26°C. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late May. Break-up sits around late May on average, with the water closing again about late October. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. The season on Octopus Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. 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 phone call first saves an afternoon. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Mac Lake is 0.9 km off. Check the position on Octopus Lake before loading the car.