Reid Lake, Northwest Territories: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  This water sits in South Slave Region, Northwest Territories. The bank is 420 metres above sea level. Around 39.85 sq km of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. The outline measures near 119 km, so a boat opens up water the bank never reaches. Nearest place of any size is Yellowknife, 263 km away. Behchokǫ̀ is 320 km and Fort Smith 428 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Reid Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in South Slave Region include Arctic grayling, lake trout and Arctic charr. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. The shape of Reid Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 13°C for July and -28°C for January. Ice holds for a long stretch, so the open weeks matter more here than further south. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early June. Averages place the thaw at early June and the freeze at mid October. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Reid Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Munn Lake, 11 km away. The position on Reid Lake is worth confirming on the day.