Fishing at Parent Lake, North Slave Region, Northwest Territories

• Overview

  Parent Lake lies within the bounds of North Slave Region, Northwest Territories. The land about it is open dry country. At 39.93 sq km you are fishing a fraction of it whatever you do. The bank runs about 77 km in total, split between open shore and sheltered corners. It is among the larger waters listed here for North Slave Region. Behchokǫ̀ at 284 km is the nearest place to stop. The big place round here is Edmonton, 1302 km distant. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Parent Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Fish documented in North Slave Region include Arctic grayling, lake trout and slimy sculpin. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Parent Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 12°C; by January the average is down near -29°C. Water stays cold even at the height of the year. After early June the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate figures give an open season running early June to mid October. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It sets the rhythm of the year at Parent Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. 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. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Redrock Lake at 26 km is the nearest alternative. Confirm access to Parent Lake locally before you travel.