Fishing at Lac Catignan, Nord-du-Québec, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac Catignan is set in Nord-du-Québec, Quebec. Elevation runs to 358 metres. It measures about 14 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Shoreline comes to about 4.0 km, small enough to learn in a day. Most waters listed here for Nord-du-Québec are larger. The nearest town is Chibougamau, 71 km away. Mistissini is 94 km away, with Chapais at 99 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac Catignan

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name Arctic charr, brook trout, lake trout and lake whitefish. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Lac Catignan the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -19°C in January. Cold dominates the calendar on water this far north. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Lac Catignan runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Lac Dorat is 0.6 km distant. Rules at Lac Catignan are worth checking on the day.