Lac Butcher Fishing in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Butcher is set in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec. The surface lies 430 metres up. It runs to roughly 40 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The whole outline is near 3.2 km, and most of it is walkable. Senneterre at 110 km is the nearest place to stop. Further out sit Leblanc (124 km) and Barraute (138 km). Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Butcher

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Abitibi-Témiscamingue, recorded fish include northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. The shape of Lac Butcher rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -18°C in January. Winter runs most of the calendar, and everything worth doing happens in the gap. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Butcher.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Lac Jade at 2.2 km is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Lac Butcher if anything is unclear.