Travaillant Lake in Inuvik Region: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Inuvik Region entry here is Travaillant Lake, in Northwest Territories. Height above sea level is 148 metres. At 112.85 sq km you are fishing a fraction of it whatever you do. There is not much shape to the outline, and the wind crosses it unbroken. It is among the larger waters listed here for Inuvik Region. Inuvik lies 109 km from the water. Further out sit Norman Wells (347 km) and Dawson City (533 km). The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Travaillant Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Inuvik Region, recorded fish include Arctic charr. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Read Travaillant Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -27°C and July at about 14°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. Break-up comes around early June, and the run that follows is short and strong. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early June until roughly mid October. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Travaillant Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Sandy Lake, 22 km out. Rules at Travaillant Lake are worth checking on the day.