Fishing at Kuunguq Inlet, Nunavut, Nunavut

• Overview

  Look for Kuunguq Inlet in the Nunavut part of Nunavut. The water sits 65 metres up. It covers about 74.12 sq km, which means weather matters as much as tactics. The water reaches back into a network of arms, each one worth a session of its own. Naujaat at 37 km is the nearest place to stop. Beyond it, Coral Harbour at 332 km and Igloolik at 373 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Kuunguq Inlet

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Oyster and old piling give the only hard structure in sight. Tide runs this water, so time the session to the flow. The shape of Kuunguq Inlet decides where the fish sit. If bites stop, change depth before you change everything else.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 9°C and February about -31°C. Cold dominates the year and the fishing works around it. After late June the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate averages put the opening at about late June and the closing near early October. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. On Kuunguq Inlet the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. For a change of water, North Pole Lake is 6.9 km distant. Where Kuunguq Inlet is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.