Lac de la Banquette Fishing in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac de la Banquette belongs to Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. Elevation runs to 404 metres. This is a pocket water of some 8 hectares, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. The nearest place of any size is Chibougamau, 77 km away. Saguenay is the closest city, 223 km away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lac de la Banquette

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean include northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Lac de la Banquette gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 16°C at the top of summer and -19°C at the bottom of winter. Ice holds for a long stretch, so the open weeks matter more here than further south. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. Averages suggest open water from about early May through to roughly mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. It holds true on Lac de la Banquette more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, Lac Touin is 1.6 km distant. Where Lac de la Banquette is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.