Rat Lake Fishing Guide, Inuvik Region, Northwest Territories

• Overview

  You will find Rat Lake in Inuvik Region, Northwest Territories. The surface lies 13 metres up. Around 76 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The shoreline runs about 7.8 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Inuvik Region. Kugluktuk is the closest town at 392 km. Beyond it, Inuvik at 410 km and Norman Wells at 465 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Rat Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Reported across Inuvik Region: Arctic charr. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Rat Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -26°C to 11°C. Cold dominates the year and the fishing works around it. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid June. Open water usually runs from mid June until about early October. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan around that when you fish Rat Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Rummy Lake is 26 km off. Confirm before you fish Rat Lake.