Fishing at Lac Bas, Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Bas falls inside Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean. It stands 304 metres above sea level. At roughly 5 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Supplies mean a trip to Albanel, 58 km off. After that come Dolbeau-Mistassini at 59 km and Pont Rouge at 61 km. Others worth noting: Lac Culotte within 0.8 km, Lac Basile (2.2 km), Lac Chausson within 2.7 km, Lac du Pompeux (2.9 km) and Lac Arthur within 4.1 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lac Bas

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean records list northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Lac Bas the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 16°C and January about -20°C. This is a two-season water: locked, then wide open. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Lac Bas runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try Lac Culotte, 0.8 km away. Ask locally about Lac Bas if anything is unclear.