Lac Binet Fishing in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Binet is an Abitibi-Témiscamingue water, Quebec side. It sits at 373 metres above sea level. Small at around 2 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. On size it sits at the modest end of our Abitibi-Témiscamingue list. The closest town, Val-d'Or, is 98 km distant. After that come Malartic at 112 km and Senneterre at 125 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Binet

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Abitibi-Témiscamingue records list northern pike, yellow perch, walleye, white sucker and brown bullhead among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Lac Binet the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 17°C in July and bottom out at -16°C in January. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The lid usually goes in early May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Climate figures give an open season running early May to late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Time your trip to Lac Binet by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Lac Lindor is 0.5 km off. Nothing here settles the position at Lac Binet for certain.