Waiting for dinner at the Inns North Cambridge Bay and sharing a wonderful, long overdue visit with friend, co-worker and my boss Mila, I decided after our time together to take a new direction with this latest Nunavut Nomad story.

July I accepted a short contract north with few fishing expectations in mind. Cambridge Bay on Victoria Island in western Nunavut has some of the best char angling on the planet but, work, timing and accessibility can make it a challenge for getting out to enjoy it. Besides this, over my winter extra weeks away north had been taken in the event I wouldn’t go up at all this summer, and yet unexpectedly, discovering need for a new septic tank at home along with a boat issue, reserve funds were quickly flushed down the toilet. So, I had to return to work with making money in mind and took along the fishing gear just in case… right..? 😉

Cambridge Bay was where it all began nearly a decade ago. The very first Nunavut contract I’d ever worked, it was through November and into December I remember intense winter storms which could last for days. Huge winds, open tundra, arctic foxes roaming just outside my apartment door, a stingy dry cold and a new health center, a very clean, organized clinic full of extra resources that I wasn’t really used to having around as an outpost Nurse elsewhere.

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The room I stayed in back during that first visit was small, cozy and for two weeks the heat just kept disappearing. It was like camping out. I’d wake up at 5:00am, turn the oven on high, leave its door open, go back to bed and by 7:00am have the room temperature up from about 9 or 10C to a more comfortable 13 to 16C. It kinda made me laugh but at the same time, getting out of the shower could still be rather teeth-chattering.

And I suddenly lost my Grandmother back during that first night on-call November 2015. It had been a horrendous experience starting that shift helping the Midwives with a Friday evening delivery. I jammed a dirty 18G IV needle accidentally through my palm all the way up the mid thumb. Afterwards a very ill patient arrived, walking but unstable and covered in blood. He took hours to fix. Through the entire night I kept working and with only a little time to go in my shift a patient was brought in VSA requiring full resuscitation. Code Blue… No sooner pronounced, quite adrenalized but exhausted too, it was 830am when Brenda texted, “you need to call your dad.” Never, ever, had I received such a message and so knew right away something terrible had happened. My Grandmother had passed away peacefully in the night.

That Saturday and Sunday I laid under heaps of blankets in the cold apartment room. The cost of getting back home for the funeral was about $7,000 and I’d only just started the contract. To be with family I was willing to try but my father spoke to me and his strength assured that mom and my girls would be well considered and cared for. Had I still wanted to go it wouldn’t have mattered, a four day blizzard blew in to shut the community down entirely, would have never had made it home in time anyhow.

The Monday morning meeting with the other staff I guess the word had got out, some awkwardly glanced my way and I think the Midwives still saw me as just some kind of freakshow. It wasn’t until later while alone the boss approached. He didn’t have to ask, “it’s okay,” I told Mike, “I’m staying here.” That call shift, that weekend, that experience was one Hell of an initiation to the realities and risks of working in the far remote north. When I stand at the ER doorway in the Cam Bay hospital to this day, my memories often go back to that time. There will be some sacrifices…

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And sitting present day now with Mila I was reminded of this. She too knows all too well what commitments to Arctic life and its nursing entail. Such an immensely positive and poised leader, our waitress forgot to put in our order, so Mila humbled me for extra time as we talked. I was happy for it. Before our dinner, written for this story were a few awkward paragraphs where from the start I’d grumbled and vented about things leading up to this contract but, now I think it’s probably best just get to it! Keep it real, keep it light and remember how blessed I am to be doing what I do, where I do it. Like Mila, we are two Nurses who have lead rather adventurous and meaningful lives in both the north and at our homes. Plenty to be thankful for. She often sheds her light in that manner, as do I, although with these musings over the years in all these personal stories, I do try best to stick to the script, to share as much of the whole and real experience to anyone reading, so that anyone can truly feel as though they have come along…

Canadian North is now checking long rod tubes as extra baggage. Make like you weren’t privy to their changes and explain that many, many times your tube has easily slid into the back of the overhead bin and maybe, they won’t make you pay the $60 for an extra piece. Worked for me!

All things arrived to Cam Bay safe, sound and same time. The first ten days or so I settled into office, worked a good amount of overtime and during the off hours hummed and hawed about actually going fishing. Not overly motivated it was a co-worker Dan who was much more energetic for getting out to chase char.

Being ice out in early July the inland lakes and rivers were emptying over-wintered arctic char into the ocean to feed. Char do this, they all stay dormant in the freshwater through the dark, snowy winters before coming to life once spring sunshine melts them free from their land-locked sanctuaries. It is often a fast run of days to about a week when most char flee for the sea to begin their short summer months of bulking up for the year. In Coronation Gulf, where Victoria Island is found, some of the most fertile and rich waters exist for char, and the region is known for growing the biggest fish in the world.

Having to work all day, thru an overnight and into the early hours it was a long shift until sleep arrived around 4:30am. Little time to rest I rose up before 9:00am and hit the road. Dan had secured an ATV Friday through ti’ll Sunday and having to work dayshifts meant he was busy to 6pm leaving it open for me to use. By 10:30am I was riding out of town to scour the shorelines for schools of char.

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It honestly took no time to find fish. When the char are fresh out to sea swimming the shorelines, along Victoria Island they are plentiful. At ice out the shallows are often key, as well as protected waters which warm faster and hold their temperature. Baitfish come alive where this new warmth exists, the char seeks this food. Outside of Cambridge Bay is miles of endless shallow, tidal sand beach which conveniently faces south into the sun, it is the perfect condition. Many char from the Ekaluk, Kitiga, Grenier and maybe some other rivers too, all migrate their to feed.

Cruising along on the bank about a half hour, I kept one eye ahead and the other on the glassy, sunlit waters until finally, swimming there was a school of a half dozen fish passing by. Stopping the bike the swallow sized mosquitoes that had been tailing along quickly swarmed for skin. Rod not ready to fish, lures tucked away and in quick need of a bug dope bath, all fiddling about took enough time that the fish had long left. When finally ready to go I had to turn the ATV back from which way I came and ride up high in the grass so to not spook anything about. A couple hundred meters I got started again down to the waters edge and in no time there were three more char seen swimming, I pulled over.

A cast beyond the fish, the lure reeled through all three and they were instantly interested. Seemed to me that between them, none could figure out which one should eat. This one said to that one and to the other, “no please, I insist, you go.” A couple more casts they began to break apart, then I heard one silver bullet just say “fuck it,” and it turned out to sea rocketing at the spoon only to smash it. Moments later in the arctic sands I bent both knees to thank the fishing Gods. Thought to myself just then, if this is all I’m granted then by grace and glory, I happily accept. Achar!

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Those other two fish had long parted ways and so mounting up again I took to riding on and looking for more. A couple of quick stops in just minutes, two more loners were seen going by but they weren’t having what I was giving. It was an incredible late morning for this fishy tour, the scenery in this area on and off the beach quite beautiful.

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Driving further on the ATV hit some deeper sand and seemed to bog down in it. The engine started making awkward noises and it lost most power. WTF!?! Randomly, maybe overheating, the bike defaulted into “limp mode.” I killed the engine and offered a long twenty minute break but to no avail. Restarting it was still in trouble. FFS, really!?! I’d only been fishing a bit over an hour or so and seeing fish too, now the quad had gone to shit! Worried that if continuing I might find myself stranded well out of town there was no choice but to turn back. At 10-15mph it took nearly two hours to return. A sad happenstance which had that one beauty char not been caught, may have ended me right there.

Back in town with the latter afternoon still intact the Doctor and I took rods down to the local river spot. The odd char may linger there, or come and go with incoming tides. Dr. Human and I enjoyed ourselves for a time too, despite no char and only two cod to count.

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Back in business I had the following day scheduled entirely for play. A 4:30am alarm the arctic summer sun which never goes down, had long been up before me. Riding out of town shortly after 6:00am, a twelve hour clock was ticking down, I had to return the quad to Dan for his evening fish. The morning run out was a doozie, scenic to the eyes, the beaches and some path parts easy travel too but, a hard beating on the body when forced up to higher grassy, rocky banks. The tundra is bumpy!

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The final destination was glorious. Touring by some nearby campers, a fella outside their tent greeted me hello. A long ride for me I asked, “bacon and eggs ready,” and he laughed. While we stood to chat I could stare to the water not far and see char moving in schools throughout the shallows. Shoreline ice strewn about, the sea in this bay was gin clear and glass, both it and the fish calling out. Some campers were still sleeping, some others only rising, I left them for the waters edge. Within minutes a first char was caught.

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By the time I had reached the fishing grounds until needing to leave, a six hour day of fun was had. The campers took about an hour to come down and fish nearby but before they arrived I’d bank two more nice fish. The char this day were hitting on an ocean favorite, a silver 5/8 ounce Bluefox Strobe. Despite the sea being at high tide the bay is still quite shallow, and thankfully has very few rock obstacles on the soft, sand and clay bottom. The odd patch of weed does exist too.

The char come and go mostly in schools and sometimes solitary. The area is a corral for summer shoreline migrating fish out on the hunt for food. They may enter along one side but find it is a dead-end-cul-de-sac which U-turns fish back out again. Some stick around though, in the shallows I would spot all kinds of baitfish. Some actually looked like char parr, some tiny brownish-golden cod, a little capelin and some sea herring too. (both pictured below) Other anglers speak of all sorts of various lure color options that work. Amongst favorites are 5 of Diamonds, silver/pink, chartreuse/silver, firetiger, brown, good ole red & white, pink alone and silver/blue. With all that spectrum considered, it would seem there really is nothing to stand out as the best.

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I continued to do damage on the char but from early on was harvesting. That may have been a mistake which held me back for catching more fish because I was actually taking the time to clean right down to full fillets, then bag and store under sea ice. Had I been releasing right away, even forgoing photographs and video, it would have been easier to stay with some passing schools and perhaps hook a few more during those moments.

The average size of the silvery char here was quite impressive. The flesh kept to eat, very orange to blood red. I’d made the good choice to harvest, for a year without some char in the freezer would be rather disappointing.

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Breathing heavy with the excitement and sometimes fresh blood on my hands, the mosquitoes would ramp up for awhile during the fun. With no head net I did drown a little in deet a few times through the morning, this proving more than enough to keep ‘em from biting. However, they certainly did want to if they could.
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Before long other anglers would begin showing up. Some char would be caught but overall the bite began winding down. David; the husband of a co-worker whom I have know for years, arrived with his family and very quickly brought some char to the shore. Very excitable angler, he knows quite well how to hook up! Caught himself a real nice one too.

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Location is key.
Experience is golden.
Confidence a must.
Timing is everything.

Returning to town after fishing out those six hours for just the six char, I truly felt on top of the world. Silver sea char is something I have actually enjoyed before, one day years ago catching a dozen smaller fish during an afternoon. All hooked on this day were much bigger though, the average size an amazing thing here. It was a silver sea char day I’d always hoped for.

Legally allowed to keep four in a day to fill a possession limit of seven, three fish were harvested. After catching those choice three, each one was immediately cleaned down to the fillets, sparing the ribs and pin bones to deal with back at the apartment. To keep fresh I stored that meat into plastic bags then stuffed ‘em under water and shoreline ice. For the ride back to town I simply broke off a large chunk of that sea ice, stowed it in the bag with the fish, placed the plastic bag into two stronger reusable grocery bags then tied all up tight before securing to the ATV. In good to great shape it all made it back okay. The remaining bone processing finished everything got triple wrapped and jammed into the freezer. Just the three fish alone gave enough meat for 36 individual servings, six servings off each of the six big fillets. I was pleased but knew that Bren would be super happy about it. She loves char more than any other fish.

Through the week at work there was surely more spring in the step. Having been on-call overnights the Friday, Sunday and Tuesday, with fishing Saturday and Sunday, work Monday, Tuesday, it was surprising how well the body held up. Again I had taken the job in Cambridge Bay to make some money and pay off bills, what I wasn’t banking on was any fishing.

It was 2019 when I booked a contract to Victoria Island to work aaaaand fish. It was different then, employed through an agency they were much more relaxed with contract dates and travel than the Government is. In that past I was permitted to arrive or depart from communities whenever wanting, which meant that before or after the work dates there would be no issue with staying in town to just be a tourist. And so that’s what I did! After the contract was complete in 2019 I remained behind for about a week, chartered a plane, took fishing, camping and cooking gear and got dropped off on the tundra at the Ekaluk River. It was an experience not quite as expected but today a memory I am still very fond of. If you’d like to read about it click the link below, it may be some of the best writing on this site and it is very picture heavy. If not, here’s an excerpt from the story and just a few pictures to highlight that trip.

A NUNAVUT NOMAD V. QUEST FOR THE EKALUK

“… All the Ekaluk around me had been this place of splendor, quite beautiful, unique and inspiring, and it was at times with some heavier burdens and blinders on that my spirit did fail to see such. An experience like this one reminds me I haven’t grown up quite enough. That, I’m still learning, and there are times my ego and goal driven self confuses what values should be prioritized and, how I can feel about missed expectations. Was catching 80,000 fish or just one big silver char something greater than experiencing all of the Ekaluk itself? Guess it is questions like this which define who we are and what we hold more dear..?”

But my seed for such adventures is the fishing, and what sprouts beyond that becomes everything else of me. Reason for the Ekaluk was not first for scenery, wildlife, wonder or whim, it was to fish and catch Arctic char. And I did fish char! Fawk did I ever!! In the end I really, truly, dug deep down and did fish for Arctic char, something I valued intensely. It was the catching that just fell short of expectation, the fish just hadn’t really come home yet, but thank heavens for the one beauty that did… I am coming to realize too, reliving this now through writing, that some greater values were found during every other happenstance brought on by this quest for the Ekaluk… Values like good will and kindness, hard work and planning, patience, sharing, determination. perseverance and of course a sense for adventure. I am just a lucky man to on occasion be able to combine work with play in such a way. And so what if the big run of fish didn’t show up as scheduled and I had to try harder to find what it was the Ekaluk would give, I’ll probably be the better for it in the long run! Yeah, I guess in its end now I’m all well and good, and for certain, the Ekaluk River will forever remain a special memory hiking all tundras ahead.”

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A rare treat one day was an invite aboard the Coast Guard ship and ice breaker, the Henry Larsen. A friend whom I’d worked with some years back, Valerie was replacing the only Nurse aboard the ship to take on a four week contract of her own. A one-of-a-kind gig really, I have often thought about applying to do the same but was under the impression contracts were six weeks and the thought of that much time away during summer play months has held me back. Valerie was four weeks, the previous Nurse only two, what a deal! Anyhow, Valerie and the ships present Nurse plus our director Mila co-ordinated this rare opportunity for fourteen of our staff to enjoy an hour long tour.

Departing July 10th from Saint Johns Newfoundland, the Henry Larsen had traveled up the eastern side of Baffin through Davis Strait passing Iqaluit, Pond Inlet and over the top of the island in Lancaster Sound near Arctic Bay. It made its way around the Brodeur Peninsula, partly down the west side of Baffin into the Gulf of Boothia, crossing through the narrow, shallow shipping channel of Bellot Strait which separates the Boothia Peninsula and Somerset Island near Fort Ross. (mainland North America’s most northern point) Entering Franklin Strait, Henry Larsen pushed southward to Victoria Strait where it slowed a little to push through this summer’s excessive sea ice in the Queen Maud Gulf. A short time later the ship entered the east of Coronation Gulf and into Cambridge Bay. The journey is essentially a variation of what is the Northwest Passage.

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Today the ship carries a crew of up to about fifty people. A “para-military” like outfit, the Coast Guard is involved heavily with scientific research and maintaining a Canadian presence over our Arctic waters. While the ship is at sea it may often be mapping the ocean floor to complete hydrographic charting along new and old routes, groups of scientists may go about their work and Henry Larsen of course breaks ice too. It also takes port in several communities along the way.

Our tour inside was really interesting. The overall “decor” or appearance of rooms and spaces felt retro 80’s to me, and as it should be, this ice breaker was built in 1988. It seemed surprisingly big too, with many layers, floors and smart uses of space, a newcomer I could see myself getting lost aboard it for the first little while. Out of the corner of an eye while up on deck I did spot an Ugly Stik spooled up with mono and a 5 of Diamonds attached to the line. Thought it was the right idea but like the ship itself, a little bit dated if ya know what I mean…? To be honest though, the Henry Larsen was just a cool vessel to see, visit and leave me curious to know more about its history and the history of arctic exploration itself. I remember beginning a Farley Mowat book in 2015, “Ordeal By Ice,” would be nice to pick that one up again and finish it. May I present to you all the Henry Larsen.

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There was no assurance any other opportunity would come to fish. Leading up to the weekend the supervisor Karen was kind to ask if I was okay with the scheduling. Essentially the on-call had me down to cover Saturday dayshift then Sunday night, meaning all day Sunday up to 8pm was free. Dan had also been wondering about his chances to escape. He would take advantage of the midnight sun to adventure out the evenings into the early morning hours. Worked out perfectly with a rented ATV because he wanted only Saturday night to about 2:00am Sunday, then, I’d be up and gone by about 6:00am on tour for the rest of the day.

The weather was perfect. Sunny, light western breeze and a comfortable high of 20C, could not have been scripted any better. Waking about 430am a heavy protein fuel breakfast, coffee and plenty water, all dressed in fishing and riding gear I set out. About a two hour run I was eager to reach fishy waters long before most locals would even rise from their beds.

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The trip had been very fast. A low tide allowing much more beach travel than having to quad over rough land, instead of two hours the time was cut to about an hour fifteen. Cresting the top of a seemingly endless shale hill which climbed like a staircase from sea level I came into view of the fishing spot, not another soul to be seen. With the breeze on my face at an elevation the bugs were kept at bay, knowing they’d be waiting down low I took the minute to put on spray.

The water had fine ripples from the swirling air. I like that best when it is sunny, having just a touch of surface disturbance and variability to break the glass from which char may easier see beyond. Like other similar fish to them, the trouts, salmon, its on high sun, blue sky days, with flat, gin clear water that oftentimes may cause shallow fish to be more weary. If betting on a bite with those atmospheric conditions I do find aquatic odds a little better beneath a cracked glass. If overcast that’s different, then flat calm is what I like best. Take note of what I mean in the pictures ahead.

Stealth is always important no matter what the fishing. Over the years myself and many in my boat have gone crazy when seeing something like the many gar in the shallows, a following muskie, sunning pike in a spring back bay, specks cruising a shoreline or a river rainbow holding in a current break. The worst thing one can do is lose their shit by getting excited, jumping about, pointing fingers and screaming the news about it. Find your chill. Slow your roll. Step back if you have to and assess the best approach. Increase your odds, fish smarter.

Within minutes of reaching the shore arctic char were moving by me in small schools. Sometimes over the water circular calm spots would actually appear and flatten the ripples. The odd “V” wake could momentarily show here and there. I’d begin casting well back from the waters edge, working the cast over some land and landing the spoon into tighter, shallower waters closer to shore. If seeing tell tales of fish, I’d place a cast to that. When schools of char roamed in tight enough to shore that I could make them out, crouching down and even sitting if at waters edge, I was less likely to be seen and they less likely to spook. I took the first cast at 8:02am and by 9:00am had hooked, landed, photographed and released seven char, with an eighth only moments following the hour. A char about every seven and a half minutes. My mind was exploding!

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The top spoon was a Devle Dog. Mr. John Cleveland of Eppinger spoons last year had recommended the Dardevlet for char but I had no luck with those at all. The Devel Dog however rarely gets action because I have only ever had so few of them, but on some trips that lure has been the bomb! This one being the last I had in the box, it was after the third fish it got snapped on and nearly the next dozen or so char just crushed it… until one brute broke it off. After that, no spoon on this day would compare. John will be hearing from me.

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Catching a bleeder at the noon hour I figured it was time to begin harvesting. The four hours casting away I was alone and managed a total of fourteen char, losing two as well. The first hour alone had caught half of those numbers, the latter three hours the other seven char. Two seals had come into the area about 10:00am though, to hang around a half hour or so. Better fisherman than I, they must have chased some char out as the bite took time thereafter to recover. I’d shoot some fun video of the catches before and after they arrived, still enjoying the place to myself until lunch hour.

Link: SEA SILVER ARCTIC CHAR VIDEO

First arrivals to fish came right on the noon hour, by 1:00pm there were a dozen people and by 2:00pm a max number of 18. Schools of char kept cruising by but any bite now had to be shared.
Familiar faces showed up like Heather, a midwife with whom years ago helped train me on the prenatal program in Nunavut. Her daughter, granddaughter and husband David; the good angler from the previous weekend, they were back as well. Met one young fella as well, Chris is the son of a co-worker Ernie who lives where I often used to visit in Taloyoak. This young man introduced himself and was one very super friendly dude who’s company I quite enjoyed. He caught a few nice ones over the afternoon.

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I snapped off three fish, landed four and harvested three solid char between noon and a quitting time come 4:00pm. During the hot afternoon the bugs were few, the anglers about many and my time spent there absolutely brilliant. Took breaks to eat lunch, chat with others, clean my catches and retie after several unfortunate break-offs. Everyone around was happy, friendly and enjoying this beautiful day. Pleased to have arrived early, those first four hours alone with that amazing bite and the following four hours of relaxed casting and socializing, all considered created a char experience unlike any I have ever lived. The silvery sea runs I managed 18 for 23 to go along with the previous weekend 7 for 9. Average size for these fish was 2nd only to the Tree River but the overall numbers much better. Approximately 13 hours total fishing time, 25 char were caught, and it felt like I was only just beginning to scratch the surface in this place too. Albeit I had heard a good many different things about the fishing in and around Cambridge Bay, to have special char days like this, unexpected, unguided while same time making bank, it’s quite fawking awesome!

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The ride back to town at low tide was mint. Adding three more char to the limit, the fridge freezer was stacked half full with thirty pounds of de-boned, skin-on char fillets destined for home. Thankfully that Sunday evening very few patients called after-hours for emergencies because I was right spent too. Didn’t drink enough water throughout the day, the early start, the three hours quadding and eight fishing, it was cause for quite a tired buzz. Woke next morning stiff and sore from head to toe. Everything achy hurting it took Motrin, Tylenol, plenty caffeine and a lunch hour nap to keep me going in clinic. All very worth it!

Of the Nunavut Nomad stories this is the first I have actually written in one sitting completely after the trip was finished and me back home. Previous stories were all works-in-progress while up north, entries immediate or soon following days events felt to be worth sharing I know that those reads really captured the intensity and motivations. I’ll be curious to know what any reading think about this one? Anyhow…

A change from freshwater red fish, sea silvery arctic char fishing of this caliber is something I have long hoped to experience. Quality and quantity with beautiful char in the ocean. Having this one under the belt just feels real good.

Thanks again for breaking ice with me in Nunavut.
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