Lac Cote near Gaspé: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine in Quebec is where Lac Cote sits. Land around it is rolling bush. Some 26 km away sits Gaspé, the nearest settlement. After that come Perce at 66 km and Grande-Riviere at 73 km. In the same area: Petit lac du Francais 1.1 km off, Grand lac du Francais within 1.2 km, Lac Caribou 1.7 km off, Lac de la Cuve within 2.6 km and Lac de la Dame 2.7 km off. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Cote

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine: American eel, striped bass, alewife and rainbow smelt. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Fish Lac Cote where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 16°C and January at -13°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early May. On average, early May opens the water and late November closes it again. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. On Lac Cote that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Petit lac du Francais is 1.1 km distant. Nothing here settles the position at Lac Cote for certain.