Woyna Lake Fishing in North Slave Region, Northwest Territories

• Overview

  Look for Woyna Lake in the North Slave Region part of Northwest Territories. Around the bank it is sage and rock. At some 2.15 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. With 12 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. On size it sits at the modest end of our North Slave Region list. Head to Yellowknife, 71 km away, for anything you forgot. Behchokǫ̀ is 161 km and Hay River 236 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Woyna Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name Arctic grayling, lake trout and slimy sculpin. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of Woyna Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 16°C and January near -27°C on the long-run figures. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around 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. Time your trip to Woyna Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Trout Lake, 8.2 km away. The position on Woyna Lake is worth confirming on the day.