Fishing at Trout Lake, North Slave Region, Northwest Territories

• Overview

  Within North Slave Region, Northwest Territories, you have Trout Lake. The water sits 202 metres up. At 4.38 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. At about 31 km of edge, most people fish a single area and learn it well. Nearest town is Yellowknife, 68 km off. Behchokǫ̀ is 160 km away, with Hay River at 228 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Trout Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. North Slave Region records list Arctic grayling, lake trout and slimy sculpin among the fish reported. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Work Trout Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -26°C in January up to 16°C in July. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late May. In an average year the thaw lands around late May and the freeze near late October. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan any trip to Trout Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Zigzag Lake is 7.5 km distant. Rules at Trout Lake are worth checking on the day.