Pull colossal fish from the legendary lakes of the NWT from the comfort of your heated ice fishing shack.
Ice Fishing is an iconic winter activity in the Northwest Territories, and a popular way to enjoy the winter days in heated comfort. Ice fishing shacks and tents pop up in Yellowknife as early as December, and people fish all winter long, but late March through to early May is the best season for ice fishing. This is when sunny days start attracting gargantuan fish up from the depths. From these legendary lakes, the fish you’ll catch on an ice fishing adventure will be impressively large, fresh, and feisty.
Sit back and enjoy comfortable, heated, and even spacious ice fishing huts and learn how to ice fish from experienced fishers with centuries of traditional experience. Discover why fishing season never truly ends in the NWT.
Ice fishing is an iconic thing to do during the winter months, but ice fishing huts have come a long way from the pictures of cold fishermen huddled around a small frozen hole on a windswept lake. Ice fishing operators rent out comfortable and spacious ice fishing huts – full structures with dedicated seating, a toasty wood-burning stove, and the variety of ice fishing equipment you’ll need to make the most of your experience in modern comfort. Ice fishing huts can range from private and rustic to large and furnished – easily seating six individuals with personal pre-drilled ice fishing holes.
Most visitors find the preferred ice fishing season starts in late March and continues through to May, when the slightly warmer weather and longer daylight hours draw the fish up from the lake bottom with hungry springtime appetites. Popular species for ice fishing include Northern Pike, Lake Trout, Walleye and the NWT’s iconic Whitefish. The legendary fish of the North are known for their record-breaking sizes – all the way from Great Slave Lake to the Arctic Ocean. It’s no wonder fishing season never ends when the fish are this impressive.
Ice fishing packages begin running as soon as the lakes freeze across the territory, and many all-inclusive lodges and operators provide ice fishing day trip opportunities. Ice fishing is part of the way of life in many communities across the NWT. The unique experience is one we readily share with visitors who know that patience is the first rule of a rewarding fishing experience.
There’s no better place to go for an authentic Canadian ice fishing experience. Come see why the Northwest Territories’ legendary reputation for spectacular fishing extends year-round on a memorable ice fishing adventure.