Stillwater · Granite · Northwest Territories

Great Slave Lake

Great Slave Lake terrain map
Good · Pike
Large baitfish/streamer · 8–10
Goodlive now
Summer pike — dawn and dusk topwater
Good wave on — drift country. Drift fishing weather — three flies on a long leader.
77% confidence

Great Slave Lake is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindS 15 km/hGentle breeze
Today's fly
LB
Large baitfish/streamer8–10
Strip it for fish chasing fry or in coloured water.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Gentle breeze
S 15 km/h
N
S
from the south
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp—
Air temp16°C
CloudBroken
Pressure1009 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

How to fish it · for Pike
When
Pike are ambush-feeding from weed cover. Fry and small perch concentrate in the warm shallows, drawing pike in during low-light periods. Mid-day pike retreat to deeper weed channels.
Where
Summer pike on the fly. Fish early (first light) and late (last hour) when pike push shallow to feed. Topwater is king — poppers and gurglers over weed beds. Mid-day fish hold deep in weed channels. Take a break during the heat of the day. Use a 9-10wt rod with a stiff butt for turning big fish away from weed.
The plan
Plan A

Summer pike on the fly. Fish early (first light) and late (last hour) when pike push shallow to feed. Topwater is king — poppers and gurglers over weed beds. Mid-day fish hold deep in weed channels. Take a break during the heat of the day. Use a 9-10wt rod with a stiff butt for turning big fish away from weed.

Plan B

If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.

Watch for

Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.

Boat — drift

A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds with Pro.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 5 with Pro.

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Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Flying AntsHatch
1
1
Gray DrakeHatch
1
1
CallibaetisHatch
1
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Pike fly box
LB
Large baitfish/streamerTop
8–10 · Streamer
Strip it for fish chasing fry or in coloured water.
AL
Articulated leech
12–16 · Fly
A dependable searching pattern for these waters.
PF
Pike fly (deceiver)
12–16 · Fly
A dependable searching pattern for these waters.
BH
Bead-head nymph (grayling)
14–16 · Nymph
Search the runs and pockets, dead-drift near the bottom.
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Trophy lake trout C&R/limits; protected-area rules in the East Arm
  • Verify current NWT regulations.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
86%
Cloud100%
Wind65%
Temp100%

Conditions are ideal for Great Slave Lake — wind, cloud and temperature all line up.

Why this score
  • Cloud cover (cloud) suits the fishery well.
  • Temperature (cool) is in the sweet spot for summer fishing.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 15 June → 30 September
Related guides
Thermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperatureEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts