Fishing at Lac aux Outardes, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Abitibi-Témiscamingue in Quebec is where Lac aux Outardes sits. Height above sea level is 435 metres. Small even by pond standards, it rewards one careful line. Our Abitibi-Témiscamingue list holds plenty of bigger water. The closest town, Leblanc, is 97 km distant. Then Senneterre, 121 km, and Manawan, 140 km. Not far off: Lac Madeleine at 0.8 km, Lac des Ondatras near enough 1.1 km, Lac Guy at 1.2 km, Lac Roger near enough 1.4 km and Lac du Pekan at 1.6 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lac aux Outardes

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Abitibi-Témiscamingue include northern pike, yellow perch, walleye, white sucker and brown bullhead. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Lac aux Outardes the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 16°C and January about -18°C. Water stays cold even at the height of the year. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan any trip to Lac aux Outardes around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Lac Madeleine sits 0.8 km off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Lac aux Outardes if anything is unclear.