Lac Arles in Abitibi-Témiscamingue: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Lac Arles in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec. The ground around here is boreal forest. Small at around 5 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Our Abitibi-Témiscamingue list holds plenty of bigger water. Ferme-Neuve sits 116 km from here and is the nearest stop. Senneterre is 116 km and Saint-Boniface 119 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac Arles

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Abitibi-Témiscamingue cover northern pike, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Fish Lac Arles to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 17°C; by January the average is down near -18°C. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. At Lac Arles the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Lac Mauve sits 1.4 km off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Lac Arles before loading the car.