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

• Overview

  Lac Boreal sits in Nord-du-Québec, out in Quebec. The bank is 396 metres above sea level. The closest town, Chibougamau, is 1.9 km away. The nearest city of size is Saguenay, 291 km away. Not far off: 0.6 km away is Petit lac Gilman, Lac Jourdain at 1 km, 1.3 km away is Lac Alasper, Lac Gilman at 1.5 km and 1.6 km away is Lac Surprenant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Boreal

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Nord-du-Québec include Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout and lake whitefish. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Lac Boreal the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 16°C; the cold one sits at -19°C. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. From about early May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. At Lac Boreal the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Parking sits 1.3 km out, which makes for a walk with tackle. There is a pier recorded roughly 1.2 km away. The water borders Parc régional Obalski, so reserve rules are likely to apply. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Petit lac Gilman is 0.6 km distant. None of that is settled for Lac Boreal in what we hold.