Fishing at Lac Cadrieu, Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Cadrieu sits in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, out in Quebec. Elevation runs to 382 metres. A pocket of water where every cast reaches cover. It is a small entry by Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean standards. Chibougamau is the closest place, 88 km off. Beyond it, Normandin at 96 km and Albanel at 98 km. Others within reach: Lac Combe at 2 km, Lac Hecourt out at 2.1 km, Lac Laroin at 2.2 km, Lac Ucel out at 2.3 km and Lac Bayet at 2.5 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Cadrieu

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Across Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, recorded fish include northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Take Lac Cadrieu a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -19°C in January. The fishing year opens late and shuts early. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. The season between ice runs from about early May to mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. At Lac Cadrieu the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Lac Combe is 2 km off. None of that is settled for Lac Cadrieu in what we hold.