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

• Overview

  Lac de la Chicane lies in Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. It stands 409 metres above sea level. At 4 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The closest town, Pont Rouge, is 51 km distant. Then Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc, 53 km, and Dolbeau-Mistassini, 59 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lac de la Chicane

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean records list northern pike, Atlantic salmon, lake whitefish and fallfish among the fish reported. 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 Chicane decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 16°C on average, January about -19°C. Cold dominates the year and the fishing works around it. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate averages put the opening at about early May and the closing near mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Time your trip to Lac de la Chicane by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Petit lac Gobeil at 0.7 km is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Lac de la Chicane.