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

• Overview

  Lac Daureillant sits in Nord-du-Québec, out in Quebec. What surrounds it is spruce and muskeg. This is sizeable water at about 4.45 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. Around 21 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. Ground here is low by Quebec standards. The town to know is Chisasibi, 244 km out. After that come Sanikiluaq at 352 km and Waskaganish at 391 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac Daureillant

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Nord-du-Québec cover Arctic charr, brook trout and lake trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Lac Daureillant the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -22°C in January up to 15°C in July. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid May. Climate figures give an open season running mid May to early November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Lac Daureillant the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Lac Destrampes at 11 km is the nearest alternative. Treat access at Lac Daureillant as something to verify.