The Best Fishing Spots in Nunavut
Nunavut, Canada offers remote, wild recreational fishing with outstanding chances for Arctic char, large lake trout, northern pike and Arctic grayling in clear tundra rivers and lakes, while coastal waters can produce sea-run char, cod and deepwater species like Greenland halibut. Anglers visit for trophy-sized fish, long summer daylight and dramatic scenery, using methods such as fly fishing, spin casting, and ice fishing depending on the season and water type. Trips are often remote and accessed by boat or floatplane, making the focus on pure wilderness fishing and species-rich waters.
Top Cities For Fishing
Sea Fishing
Arctic Bay
(1 km to coast)
Arviat
(0 km to coast)
Cambridge Bay
(3 km to coast)
Cape Dorset
(2 km to coast)
Clyde River
(2 km to coast)
Gjoa Haven
(4 km to coast)
Igloolik
(3 km to coast)
Iqaluit
(1 km to coast)
Kugluktuk
(5 km to coast)
Pangnirtung
(2 km to coast)
Pond Inlet
(0 km to coast)
Rankin Inlet
(1 km to coast)
Sanikiluaq
(2 km to coast)
Lake Fishing
Baker Lake
Top Saltwater Fishing Spots
Arctic Bay
Steep-sided shores and cold, clear water make Arctic Bay a prime spot for shore-caught Arctic char and boat-accessed Greenland halibut. Points and estuaries shine in late summer, while sea-ice seasons bring reliable jigging.
Chesterfield Inlet
This long inlet funnels Arctic char along shorelines and creek mouths, with sheltered coves ideal for shore casting in summer and fall. Deeper channels also hold Greenland halibut, while winter brings reliable ice fishing in protected bays.
Clyde Inlet
A dramatic inlet on eastern Baffin Island, Clyde Inlet offers shore and small-boat access to Arctic char along beaches and stream mouths, with deeper channels producing Greenland halibut. Trips often stage from Clyde River .
Cumberland Sound
The broad, fjord-like waters off Pangnirtung are famous for big-run Arctic char and deep-water Greenland halibut (turbot). Sheltered coves fish well from shore in summer, while guided boats probe drop-offs and channels where baitfish gather.
Dease Strait
Separating Victoria Island from the mainland, Dease Strait’s currents concentrate bait and deliver solid action for Arctic char and deep-lying Greenland halibut. Trips commonly stage from Cambridge Bay to reach rips, saddles, and drop-offs.
Foxe Basin
The broad, shallow Foxe Basin produces summer Arctic char along island shorelines and channels, with schools of capelin drawing predators. Launching from communities like Igloolik or Hall Beach gives access to productive shoals and current lines.
Frobisher Bay
Bordering Iqaluit , Frobisher Bay offers accessible shoreline and small-boat action for Arctic char, capelin, and summer Arctic cod, with winter bringing excellent ice fishing. Tidal edges, creek mouths, and the outflow near Sylvia Grinnell River are classic spots during late spring and fall runs.
Pelly Bay
Fronting Kugaaruk , Pelly Bay features classic char water—gravel beaches, creek deltas, and tidal eddies—plus nearshore jigging for Arctic cod. Late-summer runs bring shore action, and winter seasons support steady ice fishing.
Pond Inlet
Fringing the north coast of Baffin Island, Pond Inlet’s clear Arctic waters yield Arctic char along beaches and creek mouths, while guides target Greenland halibut and schooling Arctic cod around current seams and drop-offs.
Queen Maud Gulf
Expansive and island-studded, Queen Maud Gulf offers currents and shoals that concentrate Arctic char and Arctic cod, with deep edges targeted for Greenland halibut. Many trips depart from Gjoa Haven to reach nearby channels.
Rankin Inlet
A hub on the Kivalliq coast, Rankin Inlet’s tidal flats and rocky points draw migrating Arctic char and summer capelin schools, with nearshore jigging for Arctic cod. Nearby rivers like the Meliadine River see strong char runs accessible by shore or small boat.
Resolute Bay
Well-known to High Arctic travelers, Resolute Bay provides protected waters for Arctic char near inflows and gravel spits, with winter ice fishing for Arctic cod. Nearby channels toward Parry Channel see boaters probing deeper structure.
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Baker Lake
Nunavut’s only inland community sits on a vast lake fed by the Thelon River and Kazan River , offering multi-species action for lake trout, northern pike, Arctic grayling, and seasonal Arctic char near river mouths. Summer trolling and winter ice fishing are both productive.
Thelon River
A legendary wilderness waterway above the tree line, the Thelon holds strong populations of Arctic grayling, lake trout, and northern pike, with char nosing in near confluences. Drift stretches, tailouts, and lake-inlet transitions offer consistent summer action.
Top Saltwater & Freshwater Spots
Cambridge Bay
Set on the south coast of Victoria Island, Cambridge Bay provides easy access to Dease Strait for Arctic char and nearshore Arctic cod, while short trips to the Ekalluk River and local lakes produce lake trout and Arctic grayling from shore or small boats.
Coppermine River
Flowing into Coronation Gulf at Kugluktuk , the Coppermine is renowned for powerful runs of Arctic char, plus classic northern freshwater targets like Arctic grayling and lake trout. Shore riffles, pools, and lower estuary drifts shine from late summer into fall.
Pangnirtung
This gateway community on Cumberland Sound has easy shore access to migrating Arctic char and nearby rivers, with boats heading out for Greenland halibut on deeper ledges. Close-to-town coves and the harbour edges fish well during tidal swings.
Sylvia Grinnell River
Minutes from Iqaluit , this scenic river is famous for accessible Arctic char runs, with excellent shore casting at pools and falls. The estuary yields brackish-water char during tides, and nearby flats hold summer capelin.
Whale Cove
This small coastal community sits on productive waters where migrating Arctic char push close to shore, while nearby points and estuaries offer summer capelin action. Local lakes and creeks add lake trout and Arctic grayling options within reach of Rankin Inlet .