Fishing at Isuqtuq Lake, Nunavut, Nunavut

• Overview

  This water sits in Nunavut. Elevation runs to 137 metres. The water covers around 9.59 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. The perimeter is close to 26 km, and wind can be flat in one arm and rough in the next. Baker Lake sits 144 km from here and is the nearest stop. Rankin Inlet is 243 km and Arviat 263 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Isuqtuq Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Anyone new to Isuqtuq Lake should walk it once before setting up. Wind decides which bank is worth your time on the day.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 12°C in July and bottoms out near -31°C in January. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid June. Open water usually runs from mid June until about early October. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. The season on Isuqtuq Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Ferguson Lake, 19 km away. For Isuqtuq Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.