Fishing Ataniriik Lake in Nunavut, Nunavut

• Overview

  Nunavut holds Ataniriik Lake, in Nunavut. It stands 433 metres above sea level. This is big water, about 22.92 sq km, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. With about 136 km of shoreline, local advice saves a lot of walking. Compared with other Nunavut water on our list, it sits high. Supplies mean a trip to Kugluktuk, 96 km off. Beyond it, Cambridge Bay at 439 km and Behchokǫ̀ at 481 km. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Ataniriik Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Take Ataniriik Lake a stretch at a time. Work the margins before you start casting for distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 10°C in July and bottom out at -29°C in January. Ice holds for a long stretch, so the open weeks matter more here than further south. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid June. From about mid June to around early October, expect open water on the long-run figures. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. It sets the rhythm of the year at Ataniriik Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, Atanigi Lake is 9.3 km off. Where Ataniriik Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.