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

• Overview

  Lac de la Bottine lies within the bounds of Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. It stands 478 metres above sea level. Surface area runs to about 10 hectares — small enough to read in one session. The bank runs about 1.9 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Pont Rouge sits 55 km from here and is the nearest stop. It is 94 km to Saguenay, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lac de la Bottine

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name 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. The shape of Lac de la Bottine decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -19°C and July at about 16°C, the water has a wide range to work through. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Anyone fishing Lac de la Bottine regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Lac Solange, 1.8 km out. Nothing on Lac de la Bottine should be assumed from this page alone.