Lac Clement in Abitibi-Témiscamingue: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac Clement falls inside Abitibi-Témiscamingue. The country round it is lake country bush from end to end. At 4.29 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. Around 42 km of margin, so directions matter more than a general plan. It is among the larger waters listed here for Abitibi-Témiscamingue. The closest town, Notre-Dame-du-Lac, is 31 km distant. Témiscaming follows at 34 km, then Ville-Marie at 49 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Clement

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Abitibi-Témiscamingue, recorded fish include northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. At Lac Clement light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -15°C and July at about 18°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. It holds true on Lac Clement more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Lac Jack-White is 3.9 km off. Ask locally about Lac Clement if anything is unclear.