Lac de la Carte in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Quebec, Lac de la Carte falls inside Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean. The water sits 569 metres up. At roughly 6 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It sits higher than most water we list in Quebec. The nearest place of any size is Normandin, 57 km away. Saint-Félicien is 61 km away, with Albanel at 64 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lac de la Carte

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean list northern pike, Atlantic salmon and lake whitefish. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Fish Lac de la Carte where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -19°C in January up to 16°C in July. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lac de la Carte.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Lac Briand, 1.6 km out. Nothing here settles the position at Lac de la Carte for certain.