Etang Chicoine in Côte-Nord: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Côte-Nord, Quebec, sits Etang Chicoine. The country round it is mixed forest from end to end. It lies lower than most water we list in Quebec. Havre-Saint-Pierre is the closest town at 58 km. For a city, Sydney is 468 km off. Others worth noting: Etang Briant at 2.2 km, Lac du Chevreuil roughly 5.2 km, Lac Suivant at 5.4 km, Lac Solitaire roughly 6.1 km and Etang Fou at 6.3 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Etang Chicoine

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Open biodiversity records for Côte-Nord list logperch. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Work Etang Chicoine in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -12°C in January and 15°C in July. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The lid usually goes in early May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. From about early May to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. It holds true on Etang Chicoine more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. For the perch, a small jig tipped with worm, dropped along the edges, is hard to beat. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Etang Briant, 2.2 km away. For Etang Chicoine, the notice at the access point is the final word.