Lac au Goeland in Nord-du-Québec: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lac au Goeland stands in Nord-du-Québec, Quebec. The bank is 260 metres above sea level. Nearest town is Waswanipi, 45 km off. Saguenay sits 444 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Also worth knowing: Lac Maicasagi roughly 19 km, Lac de la Grosse Ile 29 km off, Lac Mad roughly 30 km, Lac Baptiste 32 km off and Lac de l'Anorthosite roughly 32 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac au Goeland

  Depth figures are not published for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Nord-du-Québec include Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout, lake whitefish and cisco. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Lac au Goeland gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 17°C on average, January about -18°C. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Plan around that when you fish Lac au Goeland.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Lac Maicasagi is 19 km off. Ask locally about Lac au Goeland if anything is unclear.