Fishing around arctic circle

[A-Baum]

Anyone ever done a trip fishing around the arctic circle? Dollys, Char, grayling, salmon, whatever. I may have the opportunity to do it in August but I have no idea what to expect or really how to prepare. It's an unguided float trip where we float/camp for 4-5 days and get picked up at the end. Bear concerns. Bug concerns. Gear concerns.

Anyone done such a trip that can provide some insight?

[Larry.S]

I've never done a float, but fished some streams off the Dempster Hwy in the Yukon. Always thought those mesh bug jackets you can get at crappy tire were a bit silly until I went up there. Mosquitoes like you can't imagine...that was in July though. Pretty cool casting flies and catching fish at 3am though. Good luck.

[FlyTheory]

Last year I was in the NWT on a canoeing excursion down the nahanni. Once in the lower reaches of the basin, the mosquitos and horse flies were torturous. Couldn't take a leak without getting a couple bites on the old worm ;p bug jackets look stupid but help with sanity. Worse than the Amazon! Trust me I've been there too..

[kilgoretrout]

Bears are definitely a concern especially the Barren-lands and hybrids with the white bear as you get closer to the coast. Just be smart and be prepared and you will have no issues. Bug jackets make fishing and camp much more enjoyable. The later you go the less issues with bugs but they are always there.

[southernman]

I spent a year Baised in Cambridge bay and several years in Yellowknife, great place the NWT, very fond memoarys from my time up north,
Lakers, pickerel, jacks and artic char, greyling, whitefish, graced the table along with a few other spieces, artic Char and lakers mostly, one you get up around the artic coast, at least thats my experience from Coppermine, cambridge to Pelly bay.
Dont know were your going, but for sure bug spray and jacket, take bear defence items, I wold take spray and my 9.3x62.
I use a 6.6-7 foot spinning rod, 12-14lbs and spoons, pixies, williams, len thompson etc, few plugs rapala's etc and spinners, take a few jigs and tails for pickerel,
fish in the north are agressive, and only have a short period of time to fatten up before winter,
Not many salmon, think a small run of chum in the Mackenzie river.
I second, the bit latter in the season, once its started too cool off, a bit.
Small vertex for greayling, if taking fly rod, small nymphs and drys for greyling, and large streamers for trout and char. 6-8 weight, with floating and sink tip.
Have fun, its an amazing place.

[A-Baum]

Good info so far. I don't have much details yet, but what I do know is we fly to Fairbanks and then take a bush plane to the push off point and get picked up about 25 miles down river 4-5 days later.

Looks like I need to buy a bunch of gear, like PVC rain suits, bug jacket, all non-cotton gear. My biggest fear is bears coming in while we are camping. You can do your best not to bring scent to the tent but it's difficult especially after eating trout/salmon for dinner.

What kind of temp swings am I looking at potentially in early August? I think it's still pretty much 22-24 hours of sunlight so are the temps pretty stable as a result? Obviously storms can blow through and bring a major change in temps. Do I need to prepare for -15 to +15 degrees?