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

• Overview

  Lac Berge is one of the Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean waters in Quebec. The country round it is taiga from end to end. The nearest town is Normandin, 43 km away. For a city, Saguenay is 158 km off. Also worth knowing: Lac de la Bernache just 0.8 km, Lac Alfred at 1.7 km, Lac Joyelle just 1.9 km, Lac Gaudry at 2.2 km and Lac Allay just 2.4 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lac Berge

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Across Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, recorded fish include northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Lac Berge a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 16°C on average, January about -18°C. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. Ice usually gives way near early May, and forms again about mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Berge.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Lac de la Bernache at 0.8 km is the nearest alternative. For Lac Berge in particular, ask before you travel.