Lac Bergevin in Nord-du-Québec: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Bergevin falls inside Nord-du-Québec. It lies 287 metres above sea level. At about 17 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. A shoreline of some 1.6 km keeps the choices simple. On size it sits at the modest end of our Nord-du-Québec list. 51 km away sits Matagami, the nearest town. Macamic lies 104 km off, La Sarre another 108 km. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac Bergevin

  Our records hold no depth for this water. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Nord-du-Québec include Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout and lake whitefish. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Lac Bergevin light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -19°C in January. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Lac Bergevin fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Lac Joutel, 1.8 km out. Check the current arrangement for Lac Bergevin.