Stagg Lake Fishing near Behchokǫ̀, Northwest Territories

• Overview

  North Slave Region, Northwest Territories, is where Stagg Lake sits. The surface lies 160 metres up. It covers about 26.12 sq km, which means weather matters as much as tactics. With about 122 km of shoreline, local advice saves a lot of walking. Start from Behchokǫ̀, 31 km down the road. Yellowknife is 74 km away, with Hay River at 231 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Stagg Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across North Slave Region, recorded fish include Arctic grayling, lake trout and slimy sculpin. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Fish Stagg Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 16°C, with January the cold end at about -28°C. Ice holds for a long stretch, so the open weeks matter more here than further south. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid May. The season between ice runs from about mid May to late October. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Plan around that when you fish Stagg Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Russell Lake at 21 km is the nearest alternative. Confirm access to Stagg Lake locally before you travel.