Fishing at Ian Calder Lake, Nunavut, Nunavut

• Overview

  Within Nunavut, you have Ian Calder Lake. The country round it is sage and rock from end to end. At 237.72 sq km you are fishing a fraction of it whatever you do. On our Nunavut list it sits near the top for size. Baker Lake lies 247 km from the water. It is 1675 km to Saskatoon, the nearest city. Also on the doorstep: Bromley Lake a touch under 22 km and Joe Lake at 55 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Ian Calder Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. On Ian Calder Lake that means starting tight and working out. Depth change is worth more than distance from the bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 8°C in August and bottom out at -33°C in January. The ice season is long here and the open one short. Break-up comes around late June, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages place the thaw at late June and the freeze at early October. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Time your trip to Ian Calder Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Bromley Lake, 22 km away, makes the obvious fallback. For Ian Calder Lake in particular, ask before you travel.