Skip to main content
Home Story Five reasons why fishing in the South Slave is off the hook

Five reasons why fishing in the South Slave is off the hook

The South Slave region is the gateway to the Northwest Territories, tucked between the 60th Parallel, famous Great Slave Lake and the legendary Barrenlands. This is an angler’s paradise, teeming with the biggest, wildest, purest, hardest-fighting fish in the world.

Getting to the South Slave is easy and it’s best done by road. Drive up through Northern Alberta and head out on a tour with a commercial fisher in Hay River. Grab your fly-rod and hit the Kakisa River, just off Highway 1, for the spring run of Arctic grayling. Cast a line in any lake or river and experience what fishing can truly be like.

1. Big fish

Forty-pound Pike slithering in the reeds, snapping at whatever moves. Legendary Lake Trout, nearly as old and big as you are, gliding through the shadowy depths. Grayling, feisty and flamboyant, leaping in the river’s spray. The South Slave is home to the most sought-after fish on Earth. Come cast a line and you’ll see.

2. ...and more of them

Anywhere else, fishing is a tradeoff – you can go for size, or for quantity. Up here, you don’t have to choose. Angling in the South Slave is remarkable not just for our supersized fish but for the rate at which you’ll catch them. It’s not unusual for an angler to have a 100-fish day. And of course, since we practice catch-and-release, all those fish go back in the water, ready to be caught again.

3. Incredible lodges

There’s Brabant Lodge at the head of the Mackenzie River. There’s Kasba Lake Lodge way out on the edge of Nunavut. And in between there’s a whole bunch of other wilderness resorts, rustic fish-camps, and lakeside fishing cabins. Whatever your taste in lodges, the South Slave has a place for you.

4. Wild lakes and rivers

The South Slave is home to Canada’s deepest lake, Great Slave. To Canada’s longest river, the mighty Mackenzie. To tens of thousands of Barrenlands lakes, many of which have likely never seen a fisherman. To pristine brooks, rushing with snowmelt. To reedy marshes, rich with organic life. We’ve got every fishing landscape you can imagine, and just a handful of anglers every year who are lucky enough to experience it all.

5. and memories that will last a lifetime

What is it about those days out on the water that draws people together – grandparents and children, old school chums, co-workers, siblings? Maybe it’s the lack of distractions – no cell phones, no deadlines, no worries. Maybe it’s the transcendent experience, battling big fish in a pristine place way up at the top of the globe. Whatever it is, it’s the best way possible to reconnect, with yourself, with the natural world, and with those who truly matter to you.

DISCOVER A MOMENT THAT LASTS A LIFETIME. Aylmer Lake Lodge is located in Rocknest Bay, which is on the Barren......

Hearne Lake Lodge is a remote fly-in fishing lodge only 20-minute floatplane ride east of Yellowknife. To serve you better,......

Comfortable lodge a 20 minute by floatplane ride from Yellowknife. Guided fishing for Lake Trout (to 34 lb), Arctic Grayling (to......

With over 30 years of living in Yellowknife, we offer a variety of tourism experiences for our guests. We are......

Book an adventure with us at Trail Blazer Tours for an unforgettable experience! Your adventure with us will create lasting......

2 Seasons Adventures is a family-owned company. Our professional guides boast a lifetime of experience enjoying the unique lifestyle of......

“Unforgettable remote fishing experience” We are the only lodge located on this fly-in only lake. With only 8 guests per......

“Like No Other Place On Earth” We are the only fly-in lodge located a 50 minute float plane flight from......

Trophy Lodge is a fishing lodge located on the Smith Arm of Great Bear Lake. We are famous for our......

Yellow Dog Lodge is a comfortable lodge with 3 private cabins for our guests. The lodge is a short (15 minute) floatplane ride from Yellowknife. Located on Duncan and Graham Lakes, the lodge is your hub for adventure. Choose from an additional 5 lakes for guided day trip excursions. Each lake is unique and offers unspoiled first class fishing. We are the only lodge that operates guided trips on each of these remote lakes located in the NWT taiga wilderness. Packaged trips feature superb sport fishing and safe outdoor adventure. The lakes and streams offer the finest Lake Trout, Northern Pike, Walleye and Arctic Grayling in the region. As an added bonus, our guests will enjoy the midnight sun and may even catch the northern lights later in the fall or early spring....

Peterson’s Point Lake Lodge provides you access to known waters teeming with monster lake trout. Their current record is a......

Kasba Lake Lodge is famous for providing guests access to incredible triple trophy fishing. Huge Lake Trout, ferocious Northern Pike......

Create your own story. We offer a variety of services to make your Sahtu adventure a reality! We offer everything from......

Our goal is to provide unique customized services for high-end customers. We excel at making personalized tours. You can see......

With us, you will find a unique Northern fishing experience with no distractions. Our amenities include Starlink Wi-Fi, standard queen-sized......

Our company is a tour management and booking services company. We are located at Yellowknife, NT Canada. Our clients come......

With Bluefish Outfitting you’ll get an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. Bluefish Outfitting offers personalized, guided fishing trips and boat tours on......

Creating Memories for a Lifetime Nonacho Lake Fishing Adventures offers trophy lake trout and northern pike fishing. Wildlife abounds at......

100% Indigenous owned!  We are the world’s first Aurora Hunting tour company, we know Aurora. Learn about Aurora, why Yellowknife is the......

Come experience world-class Aurora Borealis viewing in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. We are the only guides in the Northwest Territories......

Exceptional fishing on Gordon Lake, 100 km northeast of Yellowknife. Fish for Lake Trout, up to to 56 lbs! Fly in by......

Great Slave Lake Tours offers winter and summer trips on Great Slave Lake, the ninth biggest lake in the world......

Ena Lake Lodge is a one-of-a-kind, all-inclusive luxury fishing and outdoors experience in Northern Canada. Come and experience authentic fly-in......

Welcoming and friendly with a rustic charm and all modern conveniences, Grey Goose Lodge immediately catches your eye as you......

To truly experience the Northwest Territories, take your camping gear for a highway driving adventure! Long ribbons of road without......

Fish for Trophy Lake Trout and Arctic Grayling at our all-inclusive lodge located in East Arm, Great Slave Lake. Fly......

Born & raised in Inuvik, Northwest Territories our experienced lead guide Jimmy Kalinek is ready to help you discover the......

Outfitter offering sport hunts for trophy Dall’s sheep, Alaska/Yukon Moose, Mountain Caribou. We ensure that every detail of the hunt......

Call us about our exciting year-round packages and experience the best of the Dehcho region and Denendeh....

We offer: Nature and wildlife viewing Snowmobile tours Fishing tours Boat tours Polar bear and muskox hunts. Contact us for......