by John Cleveland

I enjoy the chase and challenge of bigfish in wild places. That challenge offerswith it the opportunity to explore some ofthe most exotic and inspirationalwilderness of the far North. Nunavut hasbecome one of my favorite places to fishand explore since my first introduction in2003, when I flew into the CoppermineRiver to fish for arctic char.

Arctic char thrive in wild places thatoffer the kind of solitude, beauty andinspirational environments that fewhumans will ever get to enjoy because ofthe innate difficulty in accessing theremote northern frontiers. Nunavut is thelargest yet least populated of all provincesand territories in Canada, and is primarilyinhabited by the people of the Inuit nation.It can only be accessed by air and sea,which attributes to it remaining a fiercelywild and undisturbed land that remainsbeautifully close to its creation. With an808,190-square-mile expanse of Arctic

wilderness, containing hundreds of pristinerivers and lakes, Nunavut is the epicenterof some of the best trophy-class arctic charfishing on the planet.

Arctic charThe arctic char is a fierce fighting fish

with a penchant for long powerful runs andacrobatic jumps as they fight. Theirincredible strength will test both theendurance of the fisherman and tackle.The ideal setup for char is a 7-footmedium-action spinning rod with a high-quality reel that has a good drag. Unlikesalmon, char continue to actively feedwhen they enter freshwater and they preferbrightly colored spoons and spinners.These fish will make blazing runs downthe river using the rapids as an energymultiplier of their innate strength toescape. You will lose almost as many fishas you hook, as the char ply the rivers’sweeping currents. Char are anadromousand begin to migrate to freshwater aschrome-bright missiles that have beenfeeding in the Arctic Ocean’s currents and

December 2015Page 68 MidWest Outdoors “Helping you enjoy the outdoors”

The Magic of Nunavut

The de Havilland DHC-3 Otter is the workhorse of the Arctic.

building strength for their journey tofreshwater spawning grounds in the latesummer and early fall. Char migrate tofreshwater in the fall to spawn becausethey cannot survive in water temperaturesbelow 32 degrees in the saltwater oceansin the winter. In fall, the spawning maleswill develop a kype (hooked jaw) and theirflanks will literally blossom with aniridescent canvas of vibrant red, orangeand pink highlights, making them one ofthe most beautiful piscatorial creatures onthe planet.

The tale of two rivers The Coppermine River is located in a

pristine glacial valley winding 525 milesthrough the Northwest Territories andNunavut before it empties into the ArcticOcean at Coronation Bay, near the villageof Kugluktuk. The broad expanse that is itsheart is sculpted with immense bouldersand barren slabs of rust- colored rock leftbehind by the rivers of ice that were itsarchitect—this is a place that appears to beon the edge of where life began. A crystal-clear emerald ribbon of rapid waterfollows the broken contours of the land asit rushes to the sea, filling the air with themusic as it plays over the chimes of graniteon its path to the sea.

The Coppermine RiverThis is my journal entry for the

Coppermine River fly out August 14,2003:

Four of us took off from Plummer’sTrophy Lodge at dawn to fly to the famedCoppermine River in Nunavut to fish forArctic Char. The view from the DeHavilland Beaver was a vast panorama oflakes, winding rivers and tundrainterspersed with a lacework of Cariboutrails. The floats of the plane settled on along stretch of the river and motored to theshore. When we jumped out of the planeonto shore, the ground was like steppingon a bowl of Jell-O as it undulated witheach step. This was just a crust of earthwith water underneath (meltingpermafrost). This was pretty scary stuff formy first time setting foot on Arctic soil. Wewere surrounded by tundra and bouldersthat are scattered about like a giant hadtossed them from the sky. A crisp windsteeped in the intoxicating flavors ofCaribou moss, and wet granite sweepsthrough the valley as we head upstream tothe rapids to begin fishing. We haveentered the magic of the Arctic!

We quickly set up our gear and beganto fish. I worked the currents with a 3/4-ounce fluorescent-orange Devle Dogspoon and caught a half dozen magnificentchar that ranged from 6 to 10 poundsduring the afternoon, each one putting upa dramatic fight as they launchedthemselves skyward and danced on thecurrent’s stage. They were beautiful,energetic creatures that looked like silvertorpedoes with light blue and red markings

on their flanks. One male had a hookedjaw with flanks of bright red and orangethat reminded me of the ribbons of colorfulmaple leaves of fall in Michigan. Freshsets of grizzly bear tracks scattered in thesand on the bank of the river, a reminderthat we were sharing this wonderful placewith the native wildlife. The four of us hadan awesome time fishing along the gravelbars and watching each other catch fishafter beautiful fish. Our guide fixed us adelicious lunch of fresh sizzling char filletsand oriental rice as we relaxed on the edgeof heaven’s tailgate, feasting on succulentfillets and soaking up the beauty of theArctic landscape. The view of the valleyfrom the riverbank is a kaleidoscope of

Page 69December 2015 MidWest Outdoors “Helping you enjoy the outdoors”

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As seen on

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John Cleveland with a fly rod line-class, world-record arctic char. Mike McGuire with a hefty silver char.

Plummer’s Tree River camp perched in a beautiful glacial valley.

The vast, rugged landscape of the Arctic is awe-inspiring.story continued on page 70

vast arctic wilderness that compels thesoul with its mystical, enchanting beauty.It has been quite literally a deliciousafternoon to be alive in this Arcticparadise. If there is a God, I think this iswhere he comes to rest his soul.

The Tree RiverTo the avid arctic char fisherman the

Tree River is considered “Holy Water.”The “Tree” is a 6-mile ribbon of raging-fast water containing Class III rapids andwaterfalls that hold the largest char in theworld. My fishing partner Mike McGuire

and I had flown into Plummer’s Tree Rivercamp located in a “Tolkienesque” valleyon the banks of the Tree River in northernNunavut for the opportunity catch thesefamed, ruby- colored jewels of the North.

After getting our gear set up, we begancasting heavy Dardevle Rocket spoons into

a rushing pool only a couple hundredyards upstream from camp. Immediately,we both had fish catapulting into the skyand plowing like bulldozers through thefrothing rapids, trying to shake our spoons.By the end of our first few hours on theriver we had each landed seven or eightchar including a line-class world-record ona Dardevle spoon. We took a quick breakfor dinner and were back on the riverfishing until midnight, before finallyheading back to our cabin for a little rest.

The next morning I asked my guideBob if he could help me catch a char onmy fly rod. He showed me to a largesubmerged boulder 50 feet from shoreoverlooking a deep run in the middle ofthe river. He told me to go out and standon the rock. It would give me a little extrareach to a prime holding seam in the river.He gave me a few pointers on what hethought would be a good drift for my fly,and a short time later after hooking andlosing two very big char, I had a beautifulchar doing “air time” over the surface ofthe river and trying to strip the backing offmy fly reel with long powerful runsthrough the stiff current. After a spiritedexchange, I had a 36-inch male charadorned in opulent hues of orange, greenand pink settled in the net. This was one ofthe most beautiful creatures I have everhad the luck to catch with a fly rod, and itturned out to be a new fly rod line-classworld record. During our short time on theTree River my friend Mike and I landedover 20 beautiful char and set two line-

December 2015Page 70 MidWest Outdoors “Helping you enjoy the outdoors”

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World-record arctic char caught on a Dardevle spoon with guide Bob Appatok.

story continued...

by Mike Cyze

For all you folks out there who haveexperienced the beauty of the Canadianwilderness, it’s not hard to understandwhen I say that for the angler looking tomake some lifetime memories, a trip toCanada is a must. Those who have not yetenjoyed the beauty and the angling bountyCanada has to offer, it’s time to take allthat dreaming you have been doing andstart planning your adventure of a lifetime.

As one who is fortunate enough totravel to many locations throughoutCanada in search of trophy fish, I havecome to realize over the years that when itcomes to a great angling experience thechoice of available locations are endless.From five- star resorts to primitive bushcountry locales, you can tailor youradventure to your liking and budget.

Folks who travel to Canada for fishingtrips know that a great fishery exists here.From trophy northern to huge walleyes andlake trout, you can adjust your trip. Heck, Ihave even targeted big jumbo perch andwhitefish on some trips with great results.For this adventure of a lifetime, Irecommend you do your homework forwhat you are looking for on your trip. Youcan structure your trip specifically to yourliking, making it even more memorable.When asked by folks heading to Canadafor the first time I usually will recommendpicking a location that offers a variety ofspecies of fish. By doing this you canexperience catching many different fish,and not just one species. The choice isultimately yours, but you will have morefun fishing many species.

When it comes to Canadian resorts,

make sure you do your homework. Whenyou talk to resort operators at sport showsor by telephone, make sure you getcomplete information for what is offeredin their trip packages. I always stress tofolks to make sure there are no hiddencharges that can suddenly show up whenyou arrive at your location. If resortoperators at sport shows are somewhatevasive in answering your questions, don’tbe afraid to move on—the same goes forthe operator who makes everything sound“too good to be true.” When you finallydecide where you want to go for yourCanadian adventure, always make sure youget everything promised to you regardingyour trip in writing. Again, if the operatorwon’t do that, walk away.

One thing I want to stress is that thevast majority of Canadian resort and campoperators are wonderful, honest peoplewho will try to provide you with theadventure you are seeking. And, if they arenot being honest with folks, they willsurely not be in business very long. Mypoint here is that you, my friends, workway too hard for your money and I wantyou to get your dollar’s worth. Inquireabout their cancellation policy ofreservations. The reason is we never knowwhen something could come up that wouldkeep us from going on the trip. We don’tlike to think about it, but it is a fact and Idon’t want to see anyone lose his or herhard-earned money due to a strict “no-cancellation policy” in case of anemergency.

For first-time Canadian adventurers,make sure you know what documents youneed to enter Canada and also to returninto the United States after your trip ends.

I have found it’s best just to use mypassport for both entering and returningfrom Canada. Check the internet forregulations regarding children entering andpets.

As I mentioned earlier, you folks whohave gone to Canada know what a greatexperience it is. For those planning thattrip, now is the time to start. I guaranteeyou will be glad you did. The best part is

that once you experience the anglingCanada has to offer, those memories willwithout a doubt last a lifetime. The lure ofCanada will keep calling you back, so gomake some memories. MWO

Email your outdoor questions to Mike Cyze at:lastcast13@yahoo.com. You can also check outMike’s blog at: lastcastoutdoors.com or listen tohim on ESPN Radio.

Page 71December 2015 MidWest Outdoors “Helping you enjoy the outdoors”

Awesome Lake Trout

Fishing

Arctic Grayling in the Rivers

Limited Fall Bear Hunts

Fly Fishing for Pike

Canadian Memories Will Last a Lifetime

class world records. There are just a fewfisheries in North America that produceaverage catches of arctic char well over 12to 15 pounds, and they are all located inNunavut, including the current IGFAworld record of just over 32 pounds, whichwas caught on the Tree River. As the floatplane ascended from the river later thatmorning, Mike and I realized we had beenblessed by the magic of one of the mostmajestic rivers on earth.

The wisdom and wonder of the ArcticFishing is the engine that prompts me

to explore the beauty and wonder of theearth’s most remote places, but thesignificance of the experience is more than

simply catching fish. Immersing oneself inthe rhythm and cadence of the land, whileenjoying the journey and adventure of wildplaces, is what creates memories of alifetime. The wisdom and wonder of theArctic is a great elixir for the soul, and theTerritory of Nunavut serves up the bestthere is. MWO

For more informationon Plummer’s Arctic Lodges visitplummerslodges.com or call 1-800-665-0240.Or visit Nunavut Tourism atnunavuttourism.com.

The Magic of Nunavut...continued from previous page

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