Hansteen Lake in Nunavut: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Nunavut, Hansteen Lake falls inside Nunavut. The setting is dry open country on every side. At 55.37 sq km you are fishing a fraction of it whatever you do. The bank is deeply indented, so shelter is easy to find in any wind. For supplies, Gjoa Haven is 144 km out. Cambridge Bay follows at 431 km, then Igloolik at 481 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Hansteen Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Hansteen Lake repays a walk before the first cast. Shallow bays warm first and pull fish in early.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -34°C in February up to 7°C in July. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late June. From about late June to around late September, expect open water on the long-run figures. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Anyone fishing Hansteen Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Ishluktuk Lake at 10 km is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Hansteen Lake before loading the car.