Lac Cinquante, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Capitale-Nationale entry here is Lac Cinquante, in Quebec. It stands 269 metres above sea level. On water this small, stealth matters more than range. Most waters listed here for Capitale-Nationale are larger. The nearest town is Laurentides, 21 km away. The big place round here is Sainte-Foy, 69 km distant. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Lac Cinquante

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Capitale-Nationale include lake sturgeon, Atlantic sturgeon and longnose sucker. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Lac Cinquante a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 18°C, with January the cold end at about -14°C. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The season between ice runs from about late April to late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Lac Cinquante fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Walleye come to jigs worked slow near bottom, and to trolled crankbaits along the drops at dusk. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Lac Herve is 1 km off. Confirm before you fish Lac Cinquante.