Table of Contents Waters of Opportunity .................... 1 Barrenlands and Great Respect and Responsibility ............ 2 Bear Lake .......................................11 Licence to Thrill .............................. 3 Mackenzie River and the Delta ...... 12 Epic Waters .................................... 4 Beaufort Sea and Arctic Ocean ..... 13 By Land, Water or Air ..................... 5 Our Specialties .............................. 14 NSWeWhaaTsto Gtnoee Bodrg iOnragpp e h.r.ai.c.t. o. ..r..s.... .. .................................................................. 897 MGOepateptri na..gt.o. .Hr. .L.e.ir.s.e.t .i ..n....g....s.. .. ................................................................................. 222031 14 Our Specialties JASON VAN BRUGGEN Great Slave Lake ............................10 Cover Photo Credit: Jason Van Bruggen The metric system is used for all measurements in this guide. Following are conversions of the more common uses: 1 kilometre (km) = .62 miles 1 metre (m) = 39 inches 1 kilogram (kg) = 2.2 pounds Indicates a member of Northwest Territories Tourism at the time of publication. The 2015 Sportfishing Guide is published by Northwest Territories DISCLAIMER – The information on services and licences Tourism, P.O. Box 610 Yellowknife NT X1A 2N5 Canada. contained in this book is intended for non-residents of the Toll free in North America 1-800-661-0788 Northwest Territories and non-resident aliens visiting Canada. Telephone (867) 873-5007 Fax (867) 873-4059 It is offered to you as a matter of interest and is believed Email: [email protected] Web: spectacularnwt.com to be correct and accurate at the time of printing. If you Production by Kellett Communications Inc., Yellowknife, would like to check the current licence status of a Northwest Northwest Territories. Printed in Canada for free distribution. TRTweeeirrtgrrhuiiottlooaurrttiii eeonssno oasti,tpc p(ee8l.re a6Nat7oso)er r8 t och7orw3 nt-eot7sa 9gtc0 eTt3 tet .har rPneirt Goiocfroefiivsec esai rarTnleo mc usoeurpinbsytjm eoo cfaf t tnt thhdoee K c NNheWolalrenTttg htFe wi sehsint g 20Getting Here PAUL VECSEI Communications Inc. accept no liability for errors or omissions. NORTHWEST TERRITORIES TOURISM | 2015 SPORTFISHING GUIDE | 1.800.661.0788 | SPECTACULARNWT.COM WATERS OF The lake stretches into the horizon, some small ducklings bobbing in the distance. You drift into a shallow cove along the shore and cast a top water lure into the water. As you drag it across the surface, there’s a tug on the line. You pull it again and it’s smashed from below. Your reel screeches as a fight with an aggressive Northern Pike begins. This is only one facet of the unbelievable angling opportunities in the Northwest Territories. This vast place boasts unlimited, clean and unpressured water systems with a wide variety of native fish species. These populations are abundant, healthy, and individuals grow to the outer limits of their size range. Whether you use spinning, baitcasting or flyfishing gear, you’ve got a great chance of landing your personal best. In the Northwest Territories we take fishing seriously. There are many fly-in lodges with experienced guides and owners that know how to provide the ultimate angling adventure. Sight fishing for Northern Pike. Dead-drifting nymphs for Arctic Grayling. Trolling on a downrigger for behemoth Lake Trout. From the novice fisherman to the veteran outdoorsman, our outfitters will gear you up and show you fishing opportunities you’ve only dreamed of before now. 1 FOLLOW US FOR UPDATES AT TWITTER.COM/SPECTACULARNWT | FACEBOOK.COM/SPECTACULARNWT TERRY PARKER GEROLD SIGL RESPECT AND RESPONSIBILITY We realize the incredible fishing resource we have in the Northwest Territories, and we sustain it through several conservation practices. You must use barbless hooks when sportfishing, easily done by pinching or stripping the barbs with pliers before you cast. It’s been proven that this does not affect hook-ups, but merely saves the fish irreparable damage YELLOW DOG LODGE wttrhohepe Nhnyo t rrfityshinhw goe trso te Trneejolreyraiitnsogeri eaths t,er amadlt.h itCoioauntgcahhl a tahnneddr ed r eeisllie cnaioos ueps ri sos bhploreormem lkouenteecdph i.inng NORTHWEST TERRITORIES TOURISM | 2015 SPORTFISHING GUIDE | 1.800.661.0788 | SPECTACULARNWT.COM 2 LICENCE TO THRILL There are two types of Northwest Territories EFFNECOTIRVET AHPWRILE 1S, T20 T13E –R MRAITRCOHR 3I1E, 2S014 Fishing Licences; one valid for three days from date of purchase and one for the season. Canadian residents can purchase a seasonal licence for $20 or a three-day licence for $15 (required for visitors over the age of 16 and upnady e$r4 t0h efo ar gae s oefa 6s5o)n. aNl olicne-rnecseid oern $ts3 o0f fCora an ada Photo by Westly Steed tahgree eo-fd 1a6y) .l iSceenacseo n(rael qliucierendc efos ra vries ivtoarlisd ofrvoemr t he DtMiaPnLocooafIknoMosnlre’skmat eP b igfnsaoOoesstxiirimdRo ofgoenneTe r f naA Ltoqb tiryuNm AoiiomcTurikutet p I irraAnNoe slfdrfioeF.tc daKrrOeeminetnnetRia ocpDcteMn eita owha!iAnillhsy ,TV igG lCeaIuOe alfiiidntsdNeceha hrianta nLigolid Rmin npes ilt gtaah aucneenl dNa dit tWS iinpoT eny. ocsi uaarnl d April 1 – March 31. Now you can purchase IT’S THE LAW your NWT Fishing Licence online and print it out yourself, visit licences.enr.gov.nt.ca to register. You must carry your licence while fishing and produce it when asked by a fisheries officer. Catch limits are provided when you buy your licence, available by mail from government offices or at convenience stores in our communities. Some operators will even arrange for your Northwest Territories Fishing Licence as part of your package. You can find guidelines of catch limits and seasons for specific fish at: enr.gov.nt.ca/sites/default/files/sport_fishing_guide.pdf 3 FOLLOW US FOR UPDATES AT TWITTER.COM/SPECTACULARNWT | FACEBOOK.COM/SPECTACULARNWT PAUL VECSEI Epic WATERS GEORGE FISCHER The Northwest Territories is extremely vast and diverse in its geography, and blessed with epic water systems. Great Bear Lake and Great Slave Lake, the seventh and ninth largest lakes in the world respectively, amount to inland freshwater seas. Thousands of smaller lakes and ponds dot the landscape. Mighty rivers and meandering streams course through the mountains, forests and tundra, as they work their way toward the Arctic Ocean. NNOORRTTHHWWEESSTT TTEERRRRIITTOORRIIEESS TTOOUURRIISSMM || 22001155 SSPPOORRTTFFIISSHHIINNGG GGUUIIDDEE || 11..880000..666611..00778888 || SSPPEECCTTAACCUULLAARRNNWWTT..CCOOMM 44 ED HARDY BY LAND, WATER OR AIR Some great fishing spots are easily accessible from the highway or by boat, while others are rarely fished and are only accessible by float plane. Making a road trip out of your holiday? Stop right off the highway at one of our many lakes and catch your dinner. All major highway travel routes in the Northwest Territories have campgrounds and day use areas where you can drop a line. So make sure you’ve got your NWT fishing licence and a rod and reel in your vehicle as you drive through all our spectacular regions. If it’s the quiet contemplation of fishing that you’re seeking, book an all-inclusive package with one of our licensed operators and fly in to a remote lake in the wilderness. Your hosts will take care of everything, letting your daily worries dissolve as you relax and fish. Be prepared for lots of furious action, however. If there is one thing that sets fishing in the Northwest Territories apart from most of the world, it’s that it doesn’t require a lot of patience. Get your line in the water and get ready to set the hook. It won’t take long before hungry fish start snapping at your lure. 5 FOLLOW US FOR UPDATES AT TWITTER.COM/SPECTACULARNWT | FACEBOOK.COM/SPECTACULARNWT BY AIR Daily jet service is available from Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta to major northern centres via Canadian North, First Air, Air Canada and WestJet. Regional airlines and charter float plane services located in our larger communities – Yellowknife, Hay River, Fort Smith, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells or Inuvik – will take you throughout the territories. Charter access to select lodges is also available through Saskatoon and Winnipeg. BY ROAD You can drive to the Northwest Territories from British Columbia or Alberta. Head north from Edmonton on the Mackenzie Route, Highway 35, or take the Liard Highway from Fort Nelson to Fort Simpson. Follow the Alaska Highway to Dawson City, Yukon and on up the Dempster Highway, across the Arctic Circle to Inuvik. For information on Northwest Territories highway routes, visit nwtparks.ca/explore. NORTHWEST TERRITORIES TOURISM | 2015 SPORTFISHING GUIDE | 1.800.661.0788 | SPECTACULARNWT.COM 6 ED HARDY SEASONED OPERATORS Licensed operators in the Northwest Territories are experts at more than just catching fish. Many offer full lodging and meal preparation on their excursions. They’ll be happy to fillet your catch and cook it over an open, crackling fire. Served with traditional bannock, a bottle of wine and a freshly baked apple cobbler, your senses will be indelibly stamped with memories lasting a lifetime. Fly-in lodges range from rustic and cozy, to those equipped with hot tubs and saunas. Operators provide boats, fuel, propane appliances (fridge and stove), lamps, dishes, cutlery, cots, mattresses and woodstoves. Depending on the lodge experience you choose, you may also need to bring additional supplies and your fishing licence. But be aware that when you’re traveling by float plane, your baggage allowance may be limited to 27-41 kg (60-90 lbs) per person. Be sure to ask your operator what you should bring when you board the plane. Most importantly, come prepared for adventure. While the Northwest Territories offers you the chance of catching the big one, our guides will also show you many non-traditional angling opportunities, including flyfishing, sight fishing and fishing the shoals. Teeming populations of species like delicious Lake Whitefish and iridescent sail-finned Arctic Grayling may not be large in size individually, but they bring their own unique qualities to the table and fight spectacularly on light setups. Sopeeer oatuer aOnpde wrahtoart Lthisetyin ogfsf efor.r a comprehensive list of where they HANS PFAFF 7 FOLLOW US FOR UPDATES AT TWITTER.COM/SPECTACULARNWT | FACEBOOK.COM/SPECTACULARNWT