. __________________________________________________. 10. And with that amazing karma came a next comedy of errors. Jordan would follow up with a foul hooked laker which for a time he thought was Godzilla!!! On the first bomb I hooked up but lost it. . And so if youre planning to visit any Arctic community check in with their Hamlet offices first, and through them they can oftentimes give you the contact for anyone working there as the community wildlife officer, a hunter/trapper association or even outfitter/guides. __________________________________________________. Did I need to feed the social media likes to have a one fleeting moment of triumph, you know, those fine feelings that euphorically wax then wane, until for some sick reason there is some desire to do it all again..? Trev and I went after it with the net, hoping it would bail out of the rushing flows and tighter along the shore into a narrow eddy. Not all trips will be doable unless you carry a rifle. Few visitors like you ever get to see this far a place here, Tommy persuaded. Conditions could use a change. . What a time to leave that back in the cabin. Two lakes divided by a small stream had similar names in Inuktitut. At the time all 2008 fish were caught, our guide guessed the fish at about 18 pounds for mine and 21 for Brenda. All Arctic Char experiences can be found here at the website with full trip details and 100s of photos. Part 1: The Science. So many arctic char, so many larger and brighter char, it was possibly the best Nunavut fishing I ever had. As the next years came I would continue on with walleye, pike and brook trout, and add longnose gar, crappie, steelhead, lake trout, splake, rainbows, browns and sturgeon. . Arctic char. Who knows, maybe it came from some same similar place within that whispered many years ago to go north. Wolves, wolverines and polar bears are sometimes seen in this region as well. 31 inches with a 16 inch girth (gutted) Thats 10 pounds without its inards. Over the three decades personal choices for favorite fish has changed a number of times. . . . M.N. Rated for 8-17lb line and 1/4 to 7/8 ounce lures, its a little lighter and whippier for tackling the possible huge lake trout and big strong char that could be swimming, but it does allow nicer play of any smaller and average fish, and it whips out all lures a country mile. They are similar in appearance to Salmon and can reach up to 20 lbs. It was a Coral Harbour atop of Hudson Bay great. After the release, a second thicker char followed up about an hour later. Every so often water would dimple and I knew those char were still dining on bugs, but man, I wanted one to take a lure so badly. . That length and strength with that action did a better job to stick fish but, a quicker, harder sweeping hookset is still required. . The longest length recorded is 35.5 to 36 inches. T.N. No sooner did we arrive that Jordan stepped to the plate and drove one deep. Far north, south, east and west, it has been a privilege to stand in all four corners, through my work constantly meeting new people while traveling and stationed in the many towns. Already on our hike an Arctic fox had been curiously following behind, while Bren picked some blueberries and Labrador tea and I took a moment to peek at 2 to 4 inch char-fry scooting about the shoreline stones with the sculpins. With an 808,190-square-mile expanse of Arctic wilderness, containing hundreds of pristine rivers and lakes, Nunavut is the epicenter of some of the best trophy-class arctic char fishing on the planet. August 10th and 11th, 2008 on the Tree River, I caught my two biggest fish measuring the same at 36.5 long by 21.5 girth. Plummers Great Bear Lake Lodge offers exclusive fishing opportunities for serious anglers. Lastly, if there is going to be any trolling, especially where big lakers may live or, out on the ocean where char are intensely stronger, then first choice would be the 30lb braid. Picks up the Nunavut Nomad hitch-hiking over the tundra. F.H. . Failing to mention earlier, I had already caught three smaller than this one. Recommended Tackle: an 8 to 10 foot fly rod for a 5-6 weight line. To following, opportunistic char, they may have seen this as a sign of a capelins distress and did often strike the spoon then. We will match the rate of the other deal if the Around the house, I could not get enough information and was always looking for more, every day. Arctic Char Fishing: Techniques, Bait and Gear - TRIZILY.COM Remarkable really, she was a Taloyoak treasure from head to fins, a most fulfilling experience and that perfect reward for all efforts, hope and ability. . The Otter circled low on approach over grassy, arctic, barren lands before finally scraping the last crest of river bank to dive in and gently set afloat on the aqua blue Tree River. Bren did it again for the second time on the Tree River. . When quiet on nightshifts or weekends at work, fly-tying and lure making was another hobby for passing time and, so to was researching fishing all across Canada. The wing dipped a hello but sadly where I was there would be no chance of landing. Spend the time with your guide inspecting the reel for mechanical fitness BEFORE you wind up with a 20lb char on and heading for the fast water! Just right there at the very end of its face, leaving cause to worry that it could easily pull out or be shaken loose. Tiny bugs must have been hatching as the lakes surface would often dimple from feeding fish. . As Lauren would explain it, she stopped reeling in to swat some mosquitoes on her hand and when she resumed there was weight on the line. The WF floater is the most popular choice, although sink-tips (130 grain to 200 grain) will work as well. Rocket Devle: Colourful low gauge spoons by Eppinger are must in the Arctic Char arsenal. The St.Croix Mojo PowerSpin is a one piece, 7 foot, medium/heavy, fast action spinning rod rated 8-14lb test mono and 3/8 to 1 ounce lures. That was my Bloody Kuglucktuk. A fish at home in his river, it tired quickly of the confines of the pool and drove fast to the current. An absolutely stunning orange hen, ripe and fat, beautifully colored. We get the odd char around here, even got a shark last summer too., Grise Fiord A.A. Whoa! . As well as being home to fantastic fishing, the lake is also surrounded by awe-inspiring scenery and untouched wildlife. The lure is as ugly as sin but, for some reason effective. 10Where can I find Arctic char in Newfoundland? Bren had a brute on the line finally. . According to their preferences and the time of year, anglers can pick from a number of fishing activities, such as fly fishing, trolling, and jigging. There are around 50,000 populations of Arctic charr worldwide. Always considered this moment and the many to follow during the next two days, to be a result of many good life choices and hard work, an achievement I would think..? We don't often write about Arctic char because they live in remote-access locations at the top of the world. Price point is very reasonable, so much so that you could buy two for one, traveling with both in one tube or, very least a second tip half in the event of damage to the first. . There would be no answer..? It felt so friggin weird I wasnt sure what was on the line. The Ekaluk they like the smaller version, and so far nowhere else does it really do all that well. modifications. Other lure options are inline spinners in all the same color combos. The third cast as the spoon was passing I gave it a couple twitches and let it fall, kinda jigged it a moment, and thats when one in the pod just suddenly turned its head a hard left, kicked the tail once and snatched up the lure. Rod: 8-10 weight singe hand, 7-8 weight spey/ switch You may want to choose or pack differently depending on the terrain you may be hiking, ATVing or possibly boating. Honestly I could have cried. Looking back at the Tree River fish in this report, their body shape is certainly like that of a chinook or coho and, having discussed with Tree River guides plus taking note of some outfitter information found online, char found on the Tree and elsewhere are calculated with a salmon formula. The char had to be played upstream to me, as there was no way of proceeding closer to it. . Conservation measures: . A five pounder could surely bully a ten pound laker in a fight, theyre just usually that much more intense. Well, we dont have the gas to get there and back to here, then back to town, I hummed and hawed. Teachers, they spend the school year north in Nunavut and summers back in Ontario. . To be kids of the north, raised much more from the land, wild and free, it is the reality for most youth of Nunavut. Standing along the bank only a few minutes, two approaching riders on ATVs stopped to say hello. She always managed to somehow pop off too, most times on her own, sometimes with Trevors help. Two years later, I found myself moving to the island town of Moose Factory with my girlfriend, she would later become my wife. Pond Inlet, NU. As I have come to learn with char fishing since the first Nunavut Nomad experience, this fishing comes down to a number of key specifics, the most important being timing. 100-fish days are not uncommon on some of our preferred streams, and anglers can catch dozens of char in the 18-28 inch range during a single day of fishing. It measured longer than the 2008 catch at 38.5 but with a lesser 20.5 girth. Coronation Gulf where the Tree flows into the ocean, is also nown for its exceptionally large char in other places too, such as around Victoria Island and westward to the Coppermine River and even Alaska. Enjoy Tree River's majesty & beauty as you fish the world's largest arctic char. Plan an extraordinary Arctic fishing trip in 2023 or 2024 based upon one of these 4 fishing expeditions to local sport fishing hot spots.. Prices for Arctic sport fishing trips and fishing charters can vary from $13,100 to $101,340 for a trip of 7 to 15 days in 2023 or 2024. The other deal is subject to the same booking conditions youve opted for with Local ice conditions made it was difficult for traders, missionaries, and explorers to reach the area. Muskox yeah, they could be, they are big. Once it came to hand I could have wept. On trips I always have an extra new spool of 15 or 20 pound braid and spools of choice florocarbon leader material. From a high vantage point it appeared the shallows below had char, and many were red. . Calculated it weighed about (AC) 20 to (DV) 21.5 pounds. She kept the rod tip high, the pressure on, and reeled in as we neared the fish. . No specific weight calculator exists for Arctic Char. . When headed up to the high Arctic you sure as shit are not taking the kitchen sink. Kugluktuk is the westernmost community in Nunavut located north of the Arctic Circle, at the mouth of the Coppermine River where it feeds into Coronation Gulf. Thinking I had an overly energetic big laker on, it was a good while of back-and-forth with it winning the race, until I finally caught a gleam of silver flash at the waters top. The Magic of Nunavut - MidWest Outdoors Arctic Char Fishing Guide: How To Catch, Clean & Cook - The Coastal Side It was in one of the bigger pools, Neiland, and Bren had plenty enough room to play. Okay I conceded lets get going then.. We both knew he was into something fantastic and there was a nervous energy waiting for the char to tire out. Remember, its like at Christmas, its the thought that counts Bunk. I got a fish, she says with a quiet and reserved excitement. Then there were two hard but short rips. These fish are notorious for getting off half the time, but wed been laughing earlier about 60% of the time, all the time. Having never been on any kind of fishing trip before, Brenda was in for something truly special. Dolly varden char and Arctic char are common in the sub-arctic waters accessible from the lodge, and CCL anglers routinely find them in remarkable number. Finally outside the cabin drying a cold sweat, I would note everything of the morning before eventually resting a stirred soul with some hot soup, coffee and half mouthful of scotch. . 4. Get past them, keep better out of the wind, keep quiet, get to the gun in the cabin, that was the idea. Aaron saves the day! The Ekaluk, Tree, Sylvia Grinnell, Coppermine and a handful of rivers in Inuvik have the best of it.