Fishing at Lac Baret, Nord-du-Québec, Quebec

• Overview

  Out in Nord-du-Québec, Quebec, sits Lac Baret. The setting is spruce and muskeg on every side. This is sizeable water at about 5.54 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. The perimeter runs near 24 km, so plan the walk before you start. It ranks among the bigger water on our Quebec list. Kuujjuaq lies 286 km from the water. Saguenay sits 1341 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac Baret

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Nord-du-Québec include Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout, lake whitefish and cisco. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Lac Baret fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 10°C; by February the average is down near -20°C. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. The lid usually goes in mid June, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid June in spring and again near late October in autumn. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. On Lac Baret that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Lac Edward sits 12 km off and takes the overflow. Signs at Lac Baret carry more weight than any list.