Fishing at Lac Balcon, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Balcon falls inside Abitibi-Témiscamingue. It lies 355 metres above sea level. It covers about 3 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. On size it sits at the modest end of our Abitibi-Témiscamingue list. You are 72 km from Val-d'Or. Gatineau is the closest city, 265 km away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Balcon

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Public occurrence data for Abitibi-Témiscamingue names northern pike, yellow perch, walleye, white sucker and brown bullhead. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The shape of Lac Balcon rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 17°C for July and -16°C for January. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Expect the water usable from around early May until roughly mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Lac Balcon that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. You can camp 1.4 km off, which suits an early start. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Lac Dalem is 1.2 km distant. For Lac Balcon in particular, ask before you travel.