Lac Betplan in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Betplan belongs to Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean. It lies 422 metres above sea level. Small at around 3 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean. Normandin sits 74 km from here and is the nearest stop. Albanel lies 76 km off, Saint-Félicien another 90 km. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac Betplan

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean include northern pike, Atlantic salmon and lake whitefish. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Fish Lac Betplan to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 16°C and January reads -19°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. It holds true on Lac Betplan more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Lac Hus, 1.2 km away. Check the position on Lac Betplan before loading the car.