Fishing at Sterlet Lake, South Slave Region, Northwest Territories

• Overview

  Sterlet Lake is a South Slave Region water, in Northwest Territories. The setting is dry rangeland. This is big water, about 44.42 sq km, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. There is roughly 167 km of bank, and each arm behaves like its own water. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Northwest Territories listings. Yellowknife is the closest place, 351 km off. The big place round here is Edmonton, 1264 km distant. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Sterlet Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across South Slave Region: Arctic grayling, lake trout, Arctic charr and slimy sculpin. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Sterlet Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 12°C on average, January about -29°C. Cold dominates the calendar on water this far north. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid June. The lid tends to go about mid June and return around early October. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Plan around that when you fish Sterlet Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Glowworm Lake sits 15 km off and takes the overflow. The position on Sterlet Lake is worth confirming on the day.