Fishing Lac Caribou in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec, is where Lac Caribou sits. This is northern bush country. The water covers some 14 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The full circuit measures close to 2.2 km on foot. Nearest place of any size is Labrecque, 42 km away. Further out sit L'Ascension-de-Notre-Seigneur (45 km) and Saint-Ambroise (50 km). It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac Caribou

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean records list northern pike, Atlantic salmon and lake whitefish among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Lac Caribou that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -18°C to 16°C. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. At Lac Caribou the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. 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 tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Lac du Milieu, 1.6 km out. Rules at Lac Caribou are worth checking on the day.