Freshwater · Summer and early fall — sea-run fish enter rivers from July; ice-out lake fishing in June

Arctic Char

Salvelinus alpinus

The jewel of the North — a circumpolar char of Labrador rivers, Nunavik and the tundra lakes, silver from the sea in summer and flame-red at the fall spawn.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Arctic Char — Photo: Xepheid, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons (Olive-backed lake fish (Lake Inari population), not red spawning dress.)

Identifying features

Light cream-pink spots scattered over a dark olive-to-blue body — spots lighter than the body
Deeply forked tail and white leading edges on the lower fins
Spawning males turn flame orange-red with a hooked jaw, among the most beautiful fish on earth
Sea-run fish are bright silver in summer before colouring up in fall
Look-alike: brook trout have worm-like back markings and a square tail; char tails are clearly forked

Habits

Circumpolar — the northernmost freshwater fish, thriving where almost nothing else can
Sea-run char leave the ocean in summer to feed and overwinter in rivers and lakes
Feeds on small fish, shrimp-like crustaceans and insects; grows slowly in cold water
Fall spawning turns sheltered lake shallows into a pageant of red and orange

Distribution

Québec City, QC · Quebec★ Primary

St. John's, NL · Newfoundland & Labrador★ Primary

Yellowknife, NT · The North — YT · NT · NU★ Primary

Anchorage, AK · AlaskaCommon

Where to find them

Labrador's famous rivers and lakes — some of the world's largest char
Nunavik (northern Quebec) rivers running to Ungava Bay
Great Slave Lake, Great Bear Lake and Northwest Territories river mouths
Alaska's North Slope and Bristol Bay drainages

Where they live

Northern rivers and estuariesTundra lakesRiver mouths and falls pools

How to catch them

Casting spoons in rivers

Rig: Medium spinning outfit, bright spoon or spinner

Bait/lure: Silver/chartreuse spoons, spinners

Key tip: Fish pools below rapids and falls where sea-run char stack on the migration.

Fly fishing streamers

Rig: 7-8 wt fly rod, sink-tip line, bright streamers

Bait/lure: Egg-sucking leeches and baitfish streamers

Key tip: Swing deep through runs at dusk — char rise late under the long northern light.

Best baits & lures

Bright spoons in silver, chartreuse and pinkSpinners and small jigsStreamer flies — char take swung flies with violence

Techniques Academy →

Baseline setup

Rod: 7' medium spinning rod or 7-8 wt fly rod
Line: 10-14 lb braid / sink-tip fly line
Terminal: Bright spoons, spinners, streamers, 12 lb leaders

Recommended gear for this species

Rod · Best value

9' 5-weight fly rod outfit

≈ US$180-260

Covers chironomid lakes and small rivers with one setup.

Flies · Budget

Chironomid assortment (30 patterns)

≈ US$25-40

Chironomids are 60% of a lake rainbow's diet in spring.

Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.

Typical size

Common 2-8 lb; Labrador giants 15 lb and up

On the table

Superb — salmon-rich flesh, pink to deep red; the great table fish of the North, fresh or smoked.

Similar species

Brook TroutBrook trout have worm-like vermiculations on the back and a square tail; arctic char have plain backs and a forked tail

Dolly VardenDolly varden are smaller with smaller, denser spots and stay coastal; arctic char grow larger with bigger, sparser spots

Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →

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