Lac Ciquart in Nord-du-Québec: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Nord-du-Québec, Quebec, sits Lac Ciquart. It sits in northern bush. Roughly 8.72 sq km of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. With about 72 km of shoreline, local advice saves a lot of walking. It is among the larger waters listed here for Nord-du-Québec. For supplies, Godefroy is 227 km out. It is 515 km to Saguenay, the nearest city. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac Ciquart

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Nord-du-Québec include Arctic charr, brook trout and lake trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Take Lac Ciquart a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -24°C in January to roughly 14°C in July. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Break-up comes around late May, and the run that follows is short and strong. The open-water window runs from around late May to about early November in an average year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lac Ciquart.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. 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. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Lac Chauffours at 5.3 km is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Lac Ciquart for certain.