Fishing Sussex Lake in South Slave Region, Northwest Territories

• Overview

  Set in South Slave Region, Northwest Territories, this is Sussex Lake. It sits at 369 metres above sea level. This is big water, about 14.23 sq km, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. Around 49 km of margin, so directions matter more than a general plan. The closest town, Yellowknife, is 371 km distant. Behchokǫ̀ is 421 km and Kugluktuk 484 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Sussex Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Survey and observation records for South Slave Region include Arctic grayling, lake trout and Arctic charr. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Sussex Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 13°C at the top of summer and -30°C at the bottom of winter. Cold dominates the calendar on water this far north. Break-up comes around mid June, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages suggest open water from about mid June through to roughly early October. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. On Sussex Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Bustard Lake, 12 km out. None of that is settled for Sussex Lake in what we hold.