Rabbit Lake, Northwest Territories: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Rabbit Lake is a North Slave Region water, in Northwest Territories. The water sits 165 metres up. It covers about 11.63 sq km, which means weather matters as much as tactics. At about 17 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Behchokǫ̀ is the closest town at 84 km. After that come Yellowknife at 168 km and Fort Simpson at 291 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Rabbit Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Open biodiversity records for North Slave Region list Arctic grayling, lake trout and slimy sculpin. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Treat Rabbit Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 16°C for July and -27°C for January. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. Ice-out usually falls in mid May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The lid tends to go about mid May and return around late October. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Rabbit Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. The nearest alternative is Tumi Lake, 3.1 km out. For Rabbit Lake in particular, ask before you travel.