Lac de la Cooperative Fishing Guide, Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec

• Overview

  Lac de la Cooperative lies within the bounds of Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. Elevation runs to 261 metres. For a base, Pont Rouge sits 36 km out. Then Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc, 36 km, and Sainte-Monique, 37 km. Also on the doorstep: Lac Derga 0.7 km away, 0.9 km away is Lac de l'Aqueduc, Lac Gagnon 0.9 km away, 1.3 km away is Lac Dery and Lac Tom-Pouce 2.4 km away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lac de la Cooperative

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. 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. Work Lac de la Cooperative in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 17°C and January near -19°C on the long-run figures. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. On Lac de la Cooperative the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Lac Derga sits 0.7 km off and takes the overflow. Where Lac de la Cooperative is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.